Love on High Seas 4: Trials and Tribulations
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: AKA Retrial of Salem Saberhagen & co. They fought to conquer the world to make it a world of peace & acceptance for all who are more than human but were betrayed & cursed to lives worse than Hell. Now at last their retrial is at hand. Slash Het 25 fandoms
1. Prologue

**Title:** Love on the High Seas #4: "Trials and Tribulations"  
**Authors:** Pirates Sparrow and Turner  
**Rating:** NC-17  
**Feedback:** Yes, please! Seriously, we, like all other fan fic writers, thrive on feedback. However, flames absolutely will not be tolerated.  
**Warnings:** Abuse, Death, Lemon, Nudity, Rape, Sex, Torture, Violence, Language, Mpreg  
**Fandoms/Characters/Pairings:** (Ace Ventura) Ace; (Angel/BtVS) A/C, Faith, Lorne, Wesley, Connor, Spike, Kennedy; (Charmed) C/Pi, Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Kit, Sam Wilder; (Dawson's Creek) Dawson; (Disney) Jack Sparrow/Will Turner, Hook/Smee, Sebastian, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Tiger Lily; (Elvira) Elvira, Gonk; (Excalibur) Kurtty, Rachel; (Generation X) Sean/Emma; (Harry Potter) Albus Dumbledore, Snape, Minerva; (Labyrinth) Jareth and company; (Peter Pan) Hook/Smee, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Tiger Lily; (The Pirate Movie) Frederic; (PotC) Jack/Will, Elizabeth; (Sabrina) Salem; (Shrek) Donkey; (Smallville) Clex; (Sons of Thunder) Trent, Carlos; (Starsky & Hutch) Starsky/Hutch; (SU2) Carl; (10K) Wolf; (X-Men) RoLo, Morph, Sean/Emma, Kurtty, Professor X, Rachel, Joseph/Rogue, Bishop; (Xena) Aphrodite/Ares, Hercules, Xena/Gabby, Joxer, Autolycus; and (Zoolander) Derek/Hansel. Sooner or later, there's a pairing for every character, but if they're not listed here, the pairing will be with either a character from a different fandom or an original character or the pairing has not yet happened. Other established characters may come and/or go, as well.  
**Summary:** The aftermath of Love on the High Seas #3: Question of the Gods leaves the Pirates in a mess worse than any they've endured before. Who still lives, and what will happen when they are called upon for the retrial of Salem Saberhagen and his men and women? What will happen to Crystal when she goes after Frostbite? Huge multi-crossover with such fandoms as Ace Ventura, Angel, BtVS, Charmed, Dawson's Creek, Disney, Excalibur, Generation X, Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Peter Pan, The Pirate Movie, Pirates of the Caribbean, Sabrina, Shrek, Smallville, Sons of Thunder, Special Unit 2, Starsky & Hutch, 10th Kingdom, X-Men, Xena, Zoolander, and more!  
**Disclaimer:** All established characters; all TV show, comic, and movie titles; and the Black Pearl are © & TM their respective owners and are used without permission. Crystal "Snowflake" Frost, Katrina "Firestar" Lewis, Celina "Pantheria" Lewis, Tom Ballard, Meesy, Brendan Richards; and all other original characters are © & TM Pirates Sparrow and Turner, are used with their permission, and may not be used without permission. The Sea Witch and everything else are also © & TM the authors. No copyright infringement is intended, and no monetary profit is made from these tales.

**Prologue**

**Somewhere in the Caribbean**

Two walked alone amongst a wide array of fallen bodies. The snow did not crunch under Their feet nor did They leave any footprints as They walked in solemn silence. There had been a time, not too long ago by Their standards, when One could have made light of the situation, but now it was all She could do to keep the tears in Her heart out of Her eyes.

The male of the Two finally broke the silence as He looked disdainfully at His female companion. "Where were You?" His voice was soft and calm, but the question He asked made Her want to have a tantrum.

She knew that He had a right to ask, however, and that She was the One in the wrong. She looked away, not feeling the cold of the air that touched Her flawless skin. She bit Her bottom lip to keep it from trembling and stubbornly kept Her tears in check. She would not cry in front of Him; She would not let Him know how deeply She regretted what She had done. She knew He wouldn't hang it over Her like the hangman's noose that it felt like, but She also didn't want Him to convince Her to give up Her fun, something that would not have been too difficult to do right then as She was already feeling like a lowly harlot for doing what She had opted to do last night instead of what She should have done.

She sighed as the wind whistled, and a dove cried out somewhere. "I . . . I was elsewhere . . . "

"I know what You were doing," He admitted, a fact that brought Her blonde head whipping around to look at Him with eyes wide and mouth agape in shock. "I sensed both of You there last night," He explained. His long, leather-clad legs stepped over a body in a single stride, bringing Him to stand before Her. "He's using You."

"He is not using Me!" the Lady protested. At His look, She changed her declaration. "It's a . . . It's a mutual use!"

She moved to turn away from Him, but He caught Her delicate wrist in His strong yet gentle grasp and held Her firmly. Her eyes blazed up into His, wordlessly daring Him to confirm what She already suspected. He sighed at the angry look She gave Him. "Ditey, if I didn't care for You, I wouldn't say anything."

She softened just a bit underneath His caring gaze but whipped Her wrist away from Him nonetheless. "Be that as it may, Brother, need I remind You that, as the Goddess of _Love_, I am _far_ more than capable of guarding My _own_ heart and that _I_ do not need _My little_ Brother to meddle in _My_ love affairs?"

She straightened Her frilly, carnation pink lingerie as She spoke. She had not even taken the effort to change Her outfit but had come straight to Her Pirates after awakening next to Ares that day. She had been devastated at the deaths, loss, and pain that Her people had endured and even more dismayed to learn that She could not heal them. Some One had dared to block Her gift of healing, and She knew just Who that Some One was. Daddy Dearest would certainly get a piece of _Her_ mind just as soon as She could figure out how to give Him one without admitting where She'd been last night and why She'd been in bed with the War God instead of doing what She could have to protect and save Her people! Having forgotten that She was not alone, Ditey stamped Her foot, pouted, and demanded rhetorically, "Is it really so much _My_ fault that _He_ showed up and offered _just_ when I was burning up with cat fever!"

Hercules had been waiting for the admission that He'd known would come and now looked up from where He'd knelt in the snow to examine Tom's eyes. The catman was one Hercules admired as he stayed true to his lady love time and again despite all the perils and temptations he'd been forced with over the years. He was also one who Ditey had worked especially hard to save. "That's just it, Sis," Herc said as He placed a hand over Tom's sightless eyes. His hand glowed as the healing process began. "He knew You couldn't resist Him then. That's why He came to You when He did. You know Ares has a knack for showing up in weak moments."

Aphrodite was just about to retort when the two Gods heard a stirring sound that made Them look over at one of the Piratesses. The dark-haired Latina was beginning to come to, and They knew that once she awakened, others would follow suit. "I'm _not_ weak," Aphrodite insisted, looking down at Her Brother again, "and I know perfectly well what I'm doing. I do _not_ need you to intervene. I know You mean well, _little Brother_, but do us both a favor and mind _your own_ business." With that said, She flickered out before He could respond and headed for one of Her favorite, but less popular, temples. She needed to think.

Hercules sighed and shook His head. He silently said a quick prayer to the Father that Xena, Gabrielle, and their friends would all somehow be all right. Then, he, too, blinked out.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

**The North Pole**

The blizzard was upon the forest full force now, but still she trudged on through snow that piled to her waist. The icy winds whipped at the child's blonde hair, puffy face, and small body, but still she continued, the dragon perched atop her shoulder her only company. She knew he was out here somewhere, watching her even now and barely holding back his laughter. She knew he could be on her at any time, and that the sensible thing to do would be to turn around and run back home.

Not that home provided any kind of safety. Oh, no, he was even there, constantly taunting her and making threats behind her parents' backs. Why could they not see him for the monster he really was? Why did they refuse to believe her, especially when she told the truth? No one believed her any more. No one but Blue and Jack and Mark.

Mark. He was the reason she was out there and the reason why she must persist. She had to find him. Find him and save him from her uncle. She knew he had had to have come this way and been attacked. That's why he hadn't been in school today and why he'd never gotten back home last night. His mother thought that she'd done something to him, but at least her parents believed her when she'd sworn she hadn't.

Of course, even then the looks they'd given her told her they didn't trust her. They hadn't for a long time now, and she feared they never would again. All because of him. All because her own uncle had attacked her and she'd tried to tell her parents, Santa, any one who would listen, what had happened. But nobody had believed her except for Jack, who was never around, and Mark, who had surprised her last night.

She had to find him. Crystal trudged on through the howling wind until, at last, the woods broke into a familiar clearing. She'd stopped in the entrance, the memories flashing through her young mind making her tremble and shake. She blinked, shielded her face from the falling snow with a gloved hand, and still had to strain to be able to see through the thick whiteness that consumed the air.

There! There in the middle! There he was! But why was he laying face down in the snow? "Mark!" The wind must have whipped her words away for he didn't budge. "MARK!" she yelled again, but still he showed no sign of hearing her.

She called him again. She headed toward him this time, half-stumbling, half-running in the tremendous snowfall. Her foot hit against something hard that had been buried in the snow, and Crystal fell into the snow. She turned to see what had tripped her and found herself staring into a pair of eyes. Her breath died in her throat as she stared into Mark's eyes, eyes that were set in a frozen head that had become detached from its body!

Her heart hammered in her ears. Mark was dead! But if he was here, what had she seen up ahead? The rest of his body or . . . something . . . something else? With her heart beating as loudly as a tidal wave, Crystal turned her head back to look. In that movement, her world changed. She was no longer a child but now an adult . . . an adult whose fear grew even greater at the new sight she was met with.

Lorne lay just inches away in the snow. The green color had drained away from his skin, leaving him a pale corpse. His horns had been ripped out of his head, and the only color on his being was the crimson red of his blood that covered him, the snow beneath him, and the bright colors of his ripped attire. His hand reached out toward her, his fingers ending only an inch away from her long, blonde hair.

"L-L-L-L-L-L--" Her voice shook so badly that she could not even get his name out. Laughter stirred amongst the trees, and she looked frantically around only to find more bodies. Angel, with Cordelia nestled beside him, Blue, Cindy, Elvira, Jack, Brendan, Prue, Xena . . . They were all there. Every one of them who had dared to stand beside her was there in the blood-soaked snow, and every one of them was dead!

Crystal's tears ran like frozen rain down her trembling face, and her whole body shook as she burst out screaming. Her scream mingled with others'.

* * *

**Somewhere in the Caribbean**

Terrified, ice blue eyes shot open at the sound of screams. The noon-day sun beat down upon her face, and she turned away, blinking in the harsh rays as she tried to shake the dream from her mind and make sense of her surroundings. Lorne was all right. He had to be, and so did the others. Her family was fine. By some miracle, they'd made it through last night. They had to have!

Crystal tried to move on her side and turn her back to the sun in order to be able to see better, but she found her arms trapped by her sides and something crunched as she struggled to move. Crystal's heart froze in her throat at the familiar sound. Snow! She looked quickly around. Snow was everywhere!

She shoved her way through the embankment and struggled to her knees in a near-panic. Snow was everywhere, but it shouldn't even be there! This could only mean one thing! Where were Lorne, her babies, and Angel? And who was screaming? What _were_ they screaming, any way?

Crystal had to make herself pause in order to listen, and then she wished she hadn't. A stricken man's voice wailed out for another called Derek. A Latina screamed out repeatedly in Spanish for some one called Willow. Willow, the new, red-headed Witch Crys had met last night, the one who was Angel's friend. Crystal looked toward each voice to find the people kneeling and shaking in the snow, tears running down both their faces.

Hurried Spanish words brought Crys' attention to another stranger. This Latina was older, had a fuller head of ebony hair, and was not crying. Instead, she was racing in and out amongst bodies, many of which Crystal recognized, a few of which she did not know, and too many of whom she knew were there because of her.

She could hear other voices, as well. Father Kurt Wagner was quickly praying in fervent German while a feminine voice whimpered out names like Trent, Carlos, and Andrew. Crystal didn't recognize any of the four but knew that they must have been hurt because of her, just as the others all had. A couple of dogs barked, cats mewled, and a chilling howl erupted from a wolf. Crystal didn't know if it was Brendan, Wolf, or another, but she did not hear any of her three animals amongst the chaos. Nowhere did she hear or see her babies, Lorne, Angel, or even Cordelia.

Her body quivering from head to toe with fear, Crystal forced herself to stand. She was only vaguely aware of the blue light that sparkled from between her breasts. In the back of her mind, she knew that Jack was trying to contact her, but she ignored him. She didn't want to talk to him right now. She didn't want to talk to any of the others who she could see and hear, either. All she wanted to do was to find Lorne and her children. She cared deeply for Angel and was greatly concerned for him, too, but Lorne and her babies came first.

Crystal began to make her way through the chaos, stumbling over and around bodies and taking quick note of each one. She passed a pair of thick, dark brown boots sticking out of an embankment; Autolycus, who seemed to be covered in scratches and bites, as though a cat had torn into him and ripped her claws through one end and out the other; Wesley, who appeared to be a little fatter than she remembered him being; and a dog who was busily sniffing the ground and who she did not recognize until he turned his familiar, brown eyes upon her and barked. She hurried along without answering; she didn't want to face Morph's questions right now.

She passed Faith, who was barely covered by the thin shreds of Dawson's shirt and whose left leg and neck seemed to lay at odd angles in the blood-covered snow. She continued by a brown and white cat, a crab, and a couple of tiger cubs, all who lay limply upon the ground, before a new voice met her ears. "Have you seen them?"

Crystal looked up at the speaker, her brow furrowed and tears in her eyes. She shook her head, not knowing who Jasmine was looking for.

"Simon," Jasmine answered as though it were the most obvious answer in all the world. "And the kids. Julian. Sarah. I woke up, and they were gone." Her thin shoulders shrugged. "I guess they wanted to play Hide and Seek, but I've been looking and looking and _looking_ and I just can't find them _anywhere_. Have you seen them?" she asked again.

Crystal shook her head mutely. She didn't have the heart to tell the poor woman that they were probably dead nor the courage to admit out loud to her that this was all her fault. Instead, she continued on past a donkey's large, rear end that stuck out from an embankment and Elvira, who lay, naked and not breathing with the sun baking her pale skin.

Crystal continued her search, shaking constantly more as her fear that she either would not find her loved ones or would find them dead grew and grew. Lorne's name was on the tip of her tongue, yet she could not find her voice to call to him. She did, however, manage to gasp out and nearly screamed as she saw the head of an Oriental woman rolling along the snow. She jumped as another howl broke out then and quickened her pace even more.

She had to find Lorne. She had to find her babies. And Angel. And Lorne. And they had to be all right. They had to be! Then, finally, Crystal found a sign of her children. A gray, bushy tail stuck out of the bottom of an embankment of snow, and Crys knew immediately that that tail belonged to Elvira.

Her heart pounded even louder as she began working feverishly to shovel the snow away with her bare hands. Would she find Elvira alive at the bottom of this pile of snow? Would she find Elvira at all, or was her tail the only thing that was left?

She worked at a swift pace, her Elemental powers helping to control the snow, until finally she shoved the rest of the snow off. There, in a heap, were her children. She gently pushed Cindy off, checking the lioness for signs of life as she did so, and then just as gently pushed Elvira off to the other side. Blue lay before her then, where he'd been smushed down into the snow by his unconscious sisters' heavy weights.

Crystal reached down and was checking the intricate bones of the little dragon's wings for any sign of breakage when the sun glinted upon something green. Her attention immediately turned to it. She brushed the snow away from it and discovered first a finger and then a hand. Setting Blue to the side and falling to her knees in the snow, Crystal swiftly worked to uncover Lorne.

Though his right hand had kept its color, the rest of Lorne's body had not fared as well. His fine clothes were ripped to near shreds, and his green skin was so pale that it could barely even be called green. The hole at his neck, where the Vampiress had drank his blood the night before, had reopened, and his blood had ran down his body before drying. Crystal trembled as she checked him for breathing. He was just barely exhaling and weakly inhaling, but, thank Gods, he was alive!

Crys sat back hard on her heels as she stared at Lorne and the shape he was in. Her gaze slowly moved from him to her babies, and then out to where the blonde man and Latina girl wailed for their lost loved ones. So much chaos . . . So much pain . . . So much death . . . All because of her.

A sob rose in her throat, but she forced it down. She had to find Angel. He probably wasn't too far, but the real question was whether he was still undead. She looked around, picked a snowbank, and used her powers to throw the snow off without leaving Lorne and her furbabies. Moving aside the pile of snow did not reveal anything, but Crystal's gut told her to keep going.

She had to remove five more feet before she found Angel, and then it was all she could do to keep from joining the screamers as he, too, appeared to be next to death's door. He was the palest she'd ever seen him, paler, indeed, than any Vampire she'd ever seen. The color of his skin contrasted against the snow almost as greatly as white against black. Crystal knew there was no way to check to make sure her brother was still undead for certain, but if he wasn't dust, there might still be a chance.

The only way she could possibly know for sure would be to awaken him, but ever since awakening and realizing what she'd allowed to happen, Crystal had known she would not wake Angel, Lorne, or any of the others once she'd found them. She couldn't, because if she did, they would talk her out of doing exactly what she knew she had to do . . . what she should have already done . . . the one thing that would have kept them safe from all this insanity. She should have left them in the beginning instead of allowing them to persuade her to stay.

Crystal's gaze dropped back down to Lorne. She saw that he was beginning to bleed again and that the snowfall was also increasing as flakes fell upon his handsome face. His color was starting to slowly return, but Crystal knew he needed help, help that she neither needed nor wanted where she was going, help that she would have always preferred to give to him rather than keep for herself even if she'd needed it.

She found her voice at last. "Lorne." She took off her necklace and carefully draped it over his neck. The snowflake began to glow immediately. "Forgive me, my love," she whispered as she bent forward and pressed a kiss to the spot between his red horns.

"I love you," she told him. "I know you're not going to believe it any more when you wake up and find me gone. You won't think I love you when I break my word to you, and I understand that. But I do. I love you," she persisted, "and I always will."

Her gaze moved from Lorne to Angel, to each of her children in turn, and then back again to Lorne. "I love you all, and I always will." She would have liked to have tasted the sweet nectar of his lips one last time but knew that doing so would make it even harder to leave. With a deep sigh of regret, she stood. Ice immediately started growing underneath her feet, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when a calm, quiet voice spoke up from behind her.

"You're leaving them."

Crystal wasn't sure if the statement was a question or merely an observation, but she turned to face the other woman, her shoulders squared. She would not let the Vampiress stop her from leaving. The only ones who could possibly stop her were unconscious, and she had to get away before they woke up for she did not have the heart to fight them yet also knew that it would take that in order to leave if they were awake. "I am . . . Delvira?" she guessed.

Her answer was a curt nod. "I understand," she continued speaking calmly, her black eyes focused on Crystal's gaze. "I would if I were you, too. But do you really think it such a good idea to leave your necklace with Lorne? You may want to give him something, but without that, _he_ will know exactly where you are."

Crystal called upon all her courage to keep Delvira's steady gaze and keep her voice even. "I want him to. If he knows where I'm at, he'll come after me instead of continuing here."

"So you want to lead him away from us?"

Crys nodded. "I should have already," she said, batting down her tears. "I shouldn't have let this happen."

She was surprised when Delvira did not try to argue with her. "Where are you headed?"

Crys tensed. "Why?"

"I could help you get there faster, if you've an idea?"

Crystal sighed. "I promised Lorne, Angel, and the others that I would try to talk to some one who they believed might help." She shook her head, her long, blonde hair shimmering down her back. "I know he won't. I know it's fruitless, but then so is everything else. At least, if I go to him before taking on . . . my uncle one last time, I will have kept one promise to them."

"Yet you can not keep the other."

"No! I wish I could, but can't you see! Don't you see what my being here, my being with Lorne and Angel and everybody else here, has caused! This is all my fault!"

"You are hardly to blame for the Piratesses -- "

"No," Crys broke her off, "I'm not! But I _am_ to blame for him coming after everybody! We would have been okay! We would have survived the Piratesses and every one, or nearly every one, been all right if only he hadn't come after us, but he _did_ because of _me_!"

Her heated exclamations stirred Lorne and her babies. Lorne murmured her name, and Crystal froze, her eyes snatching back to him and her babies. Blue's wings shifted and Cindy growled, but it was Elvira whose eyes opened. Crystal's own eyes flew open in panic as Elvira looked at her, blinked, yawned, and looked at her again. "I'm sorry, baby," Crys told her.

Elvira knew instantly what that statement meant. Her fur set on end, and her eyes shot wide. Before she could raise her voice in a howl to alert the rest of their family, however, Crystal lowered her body temperature as well as the others'. The wolf promptly fell out again, and Crys turned back to Delvira with a questioning look.

"You don't have to knock me out," Delvira told her. "I . . . Do not take this the wrong way, but I believe you're doing right."

Crystal's jaw slackened in surprise, and her mouth nearly fell open. Did some one _finally_ understand why she had to be alone, why she did not deserve, and could not have, those who loved her?

"I, too, have family who would kill any one I am close to. Or would have," Delvira corrected herself as Helvira did finally appear to have been killed. "I know what it's like to be drawn to some one so badly it hurts physically but to know you can't be with them because being with them would put their life in jeopardy."

"I tried to leave Jareth after Helvira surfaced, but he wouldn't let me. If I _had_ left him, though, what happened to him last night . . . It . . . It never would have happened." Her black eyes shone with tears. "That's why I understand -- now."

"I'd also like to help."

"You can't help."

"Actually, I can without putting myself in danger."

Crystal's brow furrowed, and her eyebrows pulled down in suspicious questioning. "How?"

"I can make you a portal," Delvira offered. Her pale hand rose to stop Crystal from speaking as the blonde's mouth flew open. Crys gave her a chance to explain, though she thought her mind was already made up. "Think about it. We don't know how close he is right now. We've got no way to know. He could be almost upon us again."

Seeing that she had Crystal thinking about what she was saying, Delvira quickly continued. "If I make you a portal, you'll show up at the North Pole a lot faster."

"How's faster going to . . . ?" Crystal's voice trailed off as understanding struck her. "The faster I get there, the sooner he senses my location has changed. The sooner he knows I'm no longer here, the quicker he changes direction. The quicker he changes direction, the less likely he is to come here!"

Delvira was already nodding. "Precisely!"

Crystal's ice blue eyes narrowed in on the Vampiress. "But I can't have the others knowing where I went. If they know, they'll come after me."

"They won't know. I promise you," Delvira told Crys, looking into her eyes, "I will not tell them anything of our conversation or that I encountered you _or_ that I even know you survived." Delvira took a step closer to the Elemental, her black eyes boring into the blonde's eyes. "I promise," she repeated, "and you can trust me to keep that promise."

Crystal's head swam, and she shook herself, knowing that the emotional strain of all that had happened was trying to take its toll on her and that she could not allow that to happen . . . not until the others were safe with her at the North Pole and Frostbite was headed her way instead of theirs. "All right," she spoke at last. "Do it. Please."

Delvira nodded. "I only need one thing."

"Name it."

"A dagger."

Crystal formed one out of ice and gave it to the Vampiress. Delvira turned and, holding the make-shift athame high in the sky, began to carve an invisible doorway while speaking in a dead tongue. It took only a second before Crystal could see where the doorway was beginning to take visible, glowing shape. A couple minutes passed with Delvira working quickly, and then the portal was made and Delvira was handing her the dagger.

"Thank you," Crystal told the other woman. She waved the dagger back at Delvira. "Keep it, and use it to close the portal as soon as I'm through."

"I promise I will," Delvira replied, and Crys' head again swam. "Now you must go."

"I must," she agreed, shaking herself and allowing her gaze to trail back to Lorne and her babies. The pain of leaving her family forever was so great that her heart felt not only heavy but dead in her aching chest. She sniffed, pressing her lips together to silence a sob she knew would awaken them, and sent an icy breeze to caress Lorne's lips, Elvira's and Cindy's fur coats, and Blue's leathery scales. "I'm so sorry," she thought aloud, "and I love you all."

Looking back to Delvira, she told her, "Remember to close it as soon as I'm through and, no matter what, don't let them follow me."

"I will and won't; I promise." Her voice was unwavering. "Go now, and good luck."

Good luck? Crys thought. How could the woman possibly be wishing her good luck? That was something she hadn't had since she'd been four and something she'd never have again, something that she couldn't have. She turned again to look at Lorne, her children, and Angel and found herself shaking. She wanted so desperately to run back to them, but she knew she could not. Now, in life, as they had in her dream, her tears fell like frozen rain, and she shook like a leaf as she entered the portal.

The very second Crystal vanished into the portal, Delvira turned back to Angel and Lorne. With the ice dagger clutched in hand, she raced forward . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

**Somewhere in the Caribbean**

It had been the longest night of Janeesa's life. Her friends gathered around her and wondered how they would make the long journey home when Janeesa's eyes were already closing. Herbert took charge. "We will rest before heading for home," he told the others.

Janeesa was so tired that she did not argue even though she knew that the longer they were away from home there was even greater chance of them being found out. If they were found out, they would be severely punished for breaking the laws of her people. They were strictly forbidden to ever have contact with the humans.

Herbert led them to a secluded area that was not too far from the island. He was so glad to get the taste of human out of his mouth that he thanked his Gods before swimming to an altitude that was safe for them to sleep. Janeesa settled onto his back and was asleep before he reached the place he deemed fit to sleep. Robbie nestled in close on his left and Molly on his right.

Molly was still trying to get over the taste of humans, because unfortunately, she had rather liked it and knew that Herbert would never put up with her eating a human. She loved Herbert more than she did the taste of humans but still couldn't, for the life of her, understand how he could be a vegetarian. Her last conscious thoughts before she passed into semi-unconsciousness were to wonder if merpeople tasted anything like human. Not that she'd ever eat one, but that would definitely explain why the sharks were always around, waiting for a nibble.

Robbie remembered what they had just experienced and hoped that the other merpeople would not find out. He knew if they were caught, life as they had known it would not ever occur again. They'd be total outcasts, if not stoned. He floated near the side of his big friend, Herbert, knowing that he'd be safe while he slept.

* * *

Roxanne darted to and fro over the snow-covered shoreline, stopping at each new body, checking them for breathing signs first and for signs of ailments second, and doing what she could for each one before moving to the next. Her two jaguars followed her at a short distance, shaking their heads occasionally, swishing their tails, and growling softly in conversation with one another. Neither animal had ever been able to understand this side of their human mother. Her Were form truly did not give a damn about any human and had dined upon quite a number of them. As a Piratess aboard the Saucy Wench, Roxanne also did not appear to like humans in the least, but yet, whenever there was a crisis of ailments, sickness, or other injuries, her healer side came out and she, in the jaguars' opinions, went quite a bit nuts in trying to care for every one at once.

The oldest shook her head and growled again, and the younger one touched her tail to the other's. She growled playfully at her, but the older feline retorted with a negatory grunt. There was no time to frolick now. They had to do their duty and stay close to their mother.

It was then that yet another howl broke out, ruffling the jaguars' spotted coats and causing both to growl, their fangs flashing in the direction of the Werewolf. Roxanne's head also snatched up at the sound, and her brown eyes darted over to the beast who was on its knees in the snow and howling at the top of its lungs.

A look at its groin area quickly confirmed what she'd already suspected, and she shook her head and muttered in Spanish while progressing to her next unknowing patient. "Grande justo. ¡Un canino maldito y un varón¡Juro, la única cosa que cualquiera es bueno para está funcionando sus bocas absurdas!"

The jaguars chuckled, the tips of their tails twitching. Now _that_ was a lot more like the mother they loved, and they could not agree more with her statement. Men and dogs were definitely a lot alike, and the only thing either was good for was running their mouths, even though no one ever wanted to hear their mouths open in the first place.

* * *

Dawson slowly stirred, trying desperately to open his eyes. He felt as though he had been drugged, and his body would not react to him. When he finally managed to get his eyes open, he attempted to sit up only to find his head spinning around. Gripping it firmly with both hands, he held still until everything stopped spinning.

Then he began to look around. Everywhere he looked, he saw members of the crews laying still as death. He prayed they were not dead as he slowly got to his feet and began to walk, searching for the one who meant more to him than life itself. The Gods could not be so cruel as to make him survive alone after all he and Faith had gone through. She had to be here somewhere.

He did not dare to turn over any of the crew members, because he didn't want to find that they were dead. Vowing that he'd find Faith first, he continued to walk, searching the beings that lay everywhere for one dear face. He could not believe that there was snow everywhere. Had Frostbite followed them here? But as hardly anything was stirring and the sky was the bluest he could ever remember it being, he didn't think so.

Then he saw Faith. It simultaneously scared and sickened him to witness the odd angles her neck and leg were laying in, and he prayed that they were not broken. He ran toward her, falling on his knees once he reached her. His hand gently reached out and stroked her face even as he called her name. He was afraid to move her leg or her neck lest he break something in the endeavor.

* * *

Wolf was dreaming. He was totally surrounded by young, spring lambs that kept changing into shepardesses who were dancing enticingly around him, begging him to try their wares. He kept shaking his head and telling them "no" yet they kept getting closer and closer until they were caressing his skin. His skin flinched at their touch as though he had a flea running across it.

"NO!" he kept shouting. "Leave me alone! I only want Elvira!" But no matter where he kept running to look for his beloved, he couldn't find her, and then, he saw something crumpled, laying in a still heap in the path just ahead of him. His horrified heart told him that it was Elvira, and he ran to her.

He slid to his knees beside her, then gazed lovingly into her face, but she was covered in blood and he feared that she was dead. He leaned down toward her, wondering how to tell if she was dead or merely asleep. The blood smell drove him crazy, and he licked it gently at first and then darted his tongue even quicker until he had cleaned the blood off of her face.

* * *

Donkey was not sure where he was at, but he knew that he was caught firmly because he had been struggling for quite a while and had not budged a single inch. He opened his eyes but could see nothing but darkness. He tried to open his mouth and felt it fill with something freezing cold and wet.

I'm gonna drown under here! he thought. I must be stuck under something in the ocean! He kicked his hooves backwards, but that didn't seem to help any either. Damn ya, Faith! You are the death of me! You sent me to Hell, and I can't get out of it!

His next thought was, Where's Elizabeth, as she was no longer on his back. He hoped she was not caught under this whatever it was and that she was not dead. He couldn't hee-haw or yell or anything but move his back end and hope that some one would see it wriggling and come to his rescue.

* * *

Roxanne tore at her dress, making makeshift bandages for yet more wounds. Her dress was already reaching her knees, and if these bleeding wounds remained as numerous as they had been thus far, she knew she'd very soon have hardly anything left to cover herself with if she didn't steal another dress. She shrugged at the thought. If she had to, she would, and if a male looked in the mean time, she'd simply run him through with her sword . . . Well, she would once she found a sword again, at least.

That thought paused her in bandaging the mustached man she was currently working on. She still did not know how far she could trust these people. They would soon be awakening; in fact, some were already moving around and a few, like the stupid Werewolf, were simply wailing and adding to the pain in her head. They might or might not be thankful for the one who had worked so hard to help them, but that didn't matter. She still needed protection.

She ran her hands down the Pirate's body. Finding nothing of use on his persona, she lifted her head and glanced around at the soiled snow. The sun glinted on something silver not too far away, and she leaned over him to pick it up. She wielded the sword in the air, turning the blade around in her hand and examining it with keen interest. Finding it suitable, she called to Sasha.

Sasha looked up at Roxanne a second before her mistress called her aloud. Seeing the sword in her hand, she knew exactly what she wanted and prepared herself. She lowered her body against the snow first, and then her rear end began to quiver.

Roxanne watched her eldest familiar prepare, then tossed the sword in her direction. Sasha leapt, catching the hilt in between her fangs and landing on her feet with the weapon held in her mouth.

"¡Buena muchacha!" Roxanne applauded her pet, then turned back to the injured man. She was again working on one of the many wounds on his chest when a despairing voice drew her attention.

* * *

**In A Church Somewhere**

Faith walked alone through long corridors, trying not to stare at the paintings hung on the walls. She hated looking at them and being reminded of the man these people revered so highly. He'd endured such pain because his Father had thought he should, and she was always uncertain how to react to the stories they told. Sometimes, she just sat with her mouth shut and her insides boiling, but at other times, they made her feel guilty for not having allowed her mother to do whatever she wanted with her. She was, after all, supposed to be an obedient child, or so they told her. Yet the same tongues that wagged about the rumors that she'd killed her mother also whispered about how the community was a better place without that whore in it.

"Ah, Faith." She looked up to see the Head Priest smiling kindly at her. "Have you come to talk to me?" She nodded, trembling, and his smile grew to reveal perfectly white teeth. "Good." He opened the doorway at the end of the hall and gestured for her to step in, bowing to her as he did so. "Go right in. I have a present for you."

The very moment Faith stepped through the door, it slammed shut behind her, and she found herself engulfed in darkness. Her hands itched for a sword, but she had none. She never had when facing Judson back at the church, and indeed it had been much later before she'd taught herself how to use one.

Light spilled into the center of the room, and Faith's breath caught in her chest at what was revealed. She stepped closer, not daring to believe, then, with a scream, rushed to the body that was in the center of the room, laying on spikes that thrust up into his back. Judson's laughter echoed all around her as she pulled Dawson close, shaking, crying, screaming, yelling Dawson's name, and cussing Judson all at once.

* * *

**Back in the Caribbean**

Though she didn't know it, Trina had been calling out in her sleep, and it had been the sound of her own voice that had finally stirred her to consciousness. Her world spun in a glimmer of white and brilliant sunlight as she sat up, and she almost fell down quicker than she'd gotten up. Trina forced herself to keep from giving in to her pounding migraine and the nausea that rolled in her stomach. She had to find Carlos, Trent, and Andrew.

Andrew. The tears threatened immediately to come to the surface, but she fought them down. He'd left her! He was gone, and she still wasn't even sure why. He'd said something about being the Angel of Death, but that couldn't be possible! Her Andrew, who could barely fight to save his own life, not to mention some one else's, could never be the Angel of Death! An Angel, yes, maybe, _if_ they existed, which they probably did as every myth and supposed make-believe creature seemed to exist! But _Death_! Impossible!

Focus, Malloy, Trina told herself. Trent. Carlos. Where . . . ? She looked around and had to shield her face from the harsh rays of the noon sun. Where were they? "Carlos? Trent?" She began to call them even as she struggled to her feet.

Standing, she took one step forward only to have her legs shake so much underneath her weight that she almost fell down. She stepped again with the same reaction. Two more steps was all she could manage before she fell. She refused to pay heed to the weakness of her body or the pain in her chest, however, and called out again as she looked around.

She could find Trent nowhere, but there! There up ahead was Carlos! Trina pushed herself once more to her feet but could only manage three steps before falling. She tried again and again, each time with the same approximate result and having no idea that she was leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

The fifth time she fell, Trina was only a couple of feet away from Carlos. She dragged herself on through the snow on her elbows and knees, determined to reach him. She cried out when she finally did reach him, but it was not from the pain that was screaming through her body. Tears streamed down Trina's face. "Carlos! Carlos!" She shook him wildly, but he did not respond.

She continued to cry and sob out his name while taking in the sight of his injured body. The memory of the shots that had riddled him and caused the bleeding holes in his arms and legs flashed through her mind, playing over and over again. She trembled as she reached for his wrist, but her head swam so much that she could not manage to concentrate enough to be able to count his pulse.

* * *

Roxanne watched what was happening with the blonde woman and dark-skinned man with compassionate pain in her eyes. She was torn between going to help the other woman, who she could see was bleeding and should not be moving around, and staying to help the man she'd already been working on. Then, she became distracted again as a soft voice called out to her. "Donde. . . ¿Dónde estoy?"

Roxanne looked in the direction of the voice, and her heart skipped a beat as she realized that the prisoner she'd worked so hard to save while back on the Wench was awake and looking at her. Her eyes were a soft, innocent brown, and they reminded her of a doe. She feared that the woman herself was probably just as innocent and timid as the deer her eyes resembled.

"Usted es seguro," she told her. She did not want Theodora to worry, so she did not tell her that she had no idea where they were, simply that she was safe. "Resto," she added even as the Latina's eyes drifted shut.

Roxanne sighed as she gazed upon the beautiful woman who had endured so much at the hands of her crew mates. "CARLOS! **_CARLOS!_**" Shouting drew her attention back to the blonde, and Roxanne knew that she had to help the couple as the woman was shaking the man even while blood continued to pour from her own chest. She was just getting to her feet when the blonde passed back out and fell over the man.

* * *

The first thing Elvira became aware of was rapid licking on her face. Her right hand pushed at the licker, trying to shove him away. "Gonk," she murmured, "stop . . . "

Her sounds of protest stopped Wolf in his tracks, and he sat back on his haunches, gazing lovingly at his mate. Wild thoughts chased through his mind with what he wanted to do. She still hadn't moved! What was he to do but wait till she did?

Unbeknownst to him, something was making its way toward him. The creature was brandishing his tiny staff and flaying it all around him while barking wildly, "Death to all Piratesses!" Didymus was lost to his sleeping nightmares wherein he battled the evil Piratesses once again. Of course, he was not looking where he was going and barreled straight into the back of Wolf, causing Wolf to lose his balance and fall forward upon his beloved.

Something heavy falling across her chest snapped Elvira's eyes wide open and brought an exclaiming "Oof!" from her mouth. "What in Hell!" At first, she could not see anything for the sun that blinded her. "Gonk, what are you doing?" she demanded, her hands going out to what she thought was her poodle.

"If you have to go to the bathroom _that_ badly, just go -- " Her sentence broke off abruptly, however, as her hands came into contact with a toned, human back and strong, human arms. That wasn't Gonk! "Wolf?" she questioned, blinking against the sun.

In answer, Wolf, who had snuggled closer to her even as she'd been fussing at Gonk, now nuzzled her ear. Delicious shivers raced through Elvira, and she rose her hand to caress the stubble on his cheek. "I missed you too," she told him. She slanted her head so that she could brush her lips across his shoulder.

Didymus hit Wolf with his staff, bringing a whimper from his target. "Unhand her, ye varlot!" he yipped at him.

With the quick reflexes of a Vampire, Elvira reached out and snatched the cane before it could strike Wolf a second time. "If you hit him again, I'm gonna string your neck on my clothesline, you little, mangy . . . " A white cloud passed before the sun, and finally Elvira could see. "Didymus!" she exclaimed. "What in the heck are you doing hitting Wolf! You'd better have a damn good excuse!" She did not let go of his cane.

"Unhand me, wench!" Didymus barked at her. He thought an evil Piratess had a hold to him. He struggled to regain the use of his staff, his eyes never opening.

"I might be sometimes," Elvira quipped, "but not right now and never for you." She pulled the cane up into the air and Didymus along with it. Peering more closely at the small dog-man, she demanded, "Didymus, open your eyes."

"Nay, fair damsel! My eyes are open as wide as I can get them! We are surrounded by evil Piratesses, but I will defend you as soon as I can get my staff free!"

"One," Elvira started, shaking the staff and Didymus along with it, "I don't need _you_ to defend me. Two, your eyes are about as open as the Bog of Eternal Stench smells good. Which figures," she admitted with a soft growl of frustration in the back of her throat, "coming from you."

"But it doth smell sweet and perfumed! What doest thou mean that my eyes are closed? I'm looking right at you, and thou art most beautiful to look upon!"

Elvira shook him harder even as Wolf nuzzled her again, bringing an abrupt sigh of pleasure from her. She paused to look down at him and realized, for the first time, that his eyes were shut. "Damn, you're both asleep!"

As answer, Wolf nuzzled her again, his body moving toward hers in a rhythmic motion, never once opening his eyes.

Elvira sighed again and glared at Didymus. "You know, if not for your pestering ass, I could really be enjoying myself right about now!" It was then that she heard familiar barking and turned to look toward where Gonk was racing at her. "Gonk," she called with a grin, "deal with this!" She then promptly threw Didymus in the direction of her poodle.

At Elvira's voice and the object that hurtled through the air at him, Gonk slowed, his wool standing out even more, and eyed the ball that was being slung at him. He growled at it as it landed and he realized that it was none other than that crazed, so-called Knight, Sir Didymus.

The hard landing caused Didymus' eyes to open. "Fair damsel?" he questioned the air. Where had she gone? He must protect her! She was beautiful and fragile and needed his protection! As he felt the hot air of Gonk's breathing land upon him, he looked upward. "Get thyself off of me, foul sir! I must needs rescue the damsel in distress!"

Gonk barked at Didymus. He glanced over to where his mistress was now settling into her lover's embrace, turned his attention back to Didymus, and barked again. Elvira definitely did not need rescuing, and besides, if she had, he would have been the one doing the rescuing, not the idiot before him!

Didymus waved his staff at Gonk, wondering why the beast didn't move away, but as Gonk did not make a move on him, he got slowly to his feet. "My steed seems to have disappeared. Do you think you might help me find him?" he asked hopefully. He was tired of walking and hoped that Gonk would give him a ride.

Gonk was considering helping the nutcase out when Didymus moved toward him. It was the same motion he'd always used on poor Ambrosious, and Gonk darted away, barking and growling fiercely. There was no way in Hell _any one_ was going to ride _him_!

"Don't run away! Ambrosious was rather bad about that, but I did finally catch him!" Didymus yelled at Gonk's retreating back even as he began to chase after Gonk. "I'll catch you too!"

Gonk glared over his white shoulder at the tiny, pestering dog. He would have stood his ground and fought him, but he knew that if he did, when they were found out, he'd be in as much trouble as Didymus. There were two people he never wanted to make mad, and both Elvira and Jareth would have been royally pissed at him. Turning his head back around, he raced straight over a blonde man who grunted and swatted at his nose as though a fly had brushed over his face.

* * *

Her dream slowly began to break as Faith felt herself being shook. She was trembling, and her lips broke to call out her lover's name in fear. "Dawson! Dawson!"

As Faith began to call his name, Dawson called Faith's name. "I'm here, sweetheart." He was still afraid to pull her up and hold her, but he wanted to. "Wake up, and talk to me. You're in a bad position, and I can't hold you! I want to!" he told her.

Dawson's voice continued to pull Faith towards consciousness until, at last, her eyes opened. They were dazed at first, and she had trouble focusing. She tried to shake her head and grunted as pain shot through her. Stilling her head, she blinked and continued trying to focus. "D-Dawson?" Her mouth felt so dry that she could barely speak.

"Yes, darling?" he asked. "What can I do to help?" He was beginning to wonder if maybe he should get her to lay still until he went and got one of the healers.

"What . . . do you . . . mean?" Faith was taking stock of the pain in her body even as she spoke, and she wondered why her leg felt so heavy and hurt so much. "Is something . . . " She carefully phrased her question. "Is something on top of my leg?"

"No . . . There's not anything on your leg, but it's bent at a weird angle. Don't try to move. I'll go get help. I was afraid to move you, and I'll bring water back with me." He feared that she was as thirsty as he was.

Despite Dawson telling her not to move, Faith nonetheless reached out to him, her hand grasping his arm to still him. "Are you . . . " She blinked against the sun again as she tried to examine him, but all she could see was his silhouette. "Are you all right?"

"Battered and bruised a lot," he told her, "but not in really bad shape. I just hurt like Hell." He leaned forward and kissed her on the tip of her nose and then very gently on the lips. "Please wait for me to return. We don't want you to get hurt any worse than you are," he pleaded with her.

Faith didn't give him a direct answer, just a very brief, very slight nod that sent pain screeching through her neck. She didn't want to sound as though she was obeying him but also did not want to admit that she could not have walked if she had had to.

Getting quickly to his feet, Dawson looked down at her. "I won't be long," he promised.

"Be safe," she told him in a hushed voice. "Where are we, any way?"

"I'm not sure, but there's a lot of snow here."

"Fuck. Be safe but hurry. You know what snow means."

"I will," he said as he quickly headed out in search of some one to help Faith.

* * *

Wolf's lips were making their way steadily down Elvira's naked body and she was suckling his neck when a timid voice cleared over them. She ignored it at first, but then the voice cleared again. "Go away," she murmured in between licks.

"No," the woman replied, her bottom lip jutting out slightly. "Not until you answer a question for me. Have you seen the kids?"

Elvira glared up at the pouting blonde. "Does it _look_ like I've seen any damn children?" she hissed, the taste of Wolf's blood and the feel of his hot mouth on her hard breast making her ache with a hunger that only he could feed.

"I don't know . . . "

"What do you mean you don't know! What the heck does it look like I'm doing!"

"Screwing," Jasmine answered point blank. "But what does that have to do with the kids? You don't think they're -- ?" She gasped. "They can't be old enough! . . . Can they? I mean, what age does that start at, any way?"

"I don't know, and I don't give a rat's ass! Now go away before you wake him up!" Elvira snapped as Wolf stirred beside her breasts.

Jasmine's eyes widened. "Wake him up? You mean he's _asleep_!"

"Yes, he's asleep," Elvira returned, "and I don't want him to wake up!"

"Why not?"

"What does it look like we're doing!"

"Didn't you already ask me that?" At Elvira's burning glare, Jasmine shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought you had." She paused, a frown drawing her pretty face down. "What was the question again?"

Elvira growled, her fangs flashing. "If you don't go away, I'm gonna use you for a snack!" She hissed to add extra emphasis to her message.

Jasmine blushed. "Well, you didn't have to be rude!" she exclaimed even as she hurried away in a bustle of torn skirts.

Elvira sighed and looked down at Wolf, who had ceased suckling her breasts. "It's okay, baby," she told him. "She's gone now." He did not appear to have woken yet, and she lowered her mouth to the top of his head. Her breasts arched against his handsome face, rubbing against his cheeks and mouth as she kissed his jet black hair. Their taut flesh against his lips continued to tempt and tease him until he reached out and caught one with his teeth. Elvira threw back her head in a blissful moan.

* * *

The first thing Piper noticed when she came around was that she could see. A bright light consumed her vision, and she blinked against it, shielding her eyes as best she could with her hand, as she sat up. Her world swam, and she had to brace herself against the dizzy feeling. Her hand slammed down onto the ground to keep herself sitting, and she was surprised at the wet, cold substance that her fingers were met with.

Her head still pounding, Piper scooped up a handful of the substance and brought it to where she could see it. The sun sparkled on the white substance, and she stared at it for a moment before her thoughts pulled together. Snow. That meant he was still coming after them.

Piper dropped the snow back to the ground and got herself to her feet. Her world spun, causing her to stumble, but she remained standing. She blinked against the sun and looked around. Bodies were strewn across the snowy shoreline for as far as she could see, but she saw no sign of Cole, her sisters, or even Aunt Ororo.

For once, her fear for Cole came to the surface, even surpassing that for her sisters. Where was her beloved Cole? The last she'd seen him, he had gone after her sisters as she'd asked him to. Had he survived, or had he died trying to reach her sisters?

Fear caught at Piper's heart, and tears sparkled in her eyes. She set out, continuing despite stumbling and batting her tears away. She needed to be able to see, and it was already all she could do to see a couple of feet before her for the sun in her eyes. "Cole? Cole!" Her frightened voice seemed to merge in with the other voices that shouted and blended together in a pulsating rhythm through her brain.

Piper stumbled on, calling Cole's name repeatedly and doing her best to look everywhere she could at once. She passed body after body, her stomach churning at many a disturbing sight, until coming across a long figure that was almost completely covered with snow. Feet stuck out from one end, but a squinting look at the other end revealed a pair of strong, broad shoulders. Piper gasped; she would have known those shoulders anywhere!

"_Cole!_" Piper exclaimed as she rushed toward him. She fell on her knees beside his shoulders, and her long, ebony hair framed her frightened face as she leaned over him. Her hands wiped at the snow where his head would be, and she was rewarded with uncovering first a nose, then his lips, and soon his entire head.

His skin was pale and icy to the touch, and his eyes remained closed even as her hands wiped across his chilled face and she called his name. "Cole! Cole! Cole, wake up! _Cole!_" Continuing to call his name, Piper set to trying to rub some heat into his face.

She continued talking to him and trying to bring him to with her voice even as her fingers brushed the snowflakes from his curly hair, massaged his temples, and dropped from there to other parts of his handsome face. As her fingers moved to massage his ears, Piper lowered her mouth over his and tried to breathe some heat into him through kissing him. All this time, she had been shaking though never noticing, and now her tears dropped onto his flesh.

* * *

Smee wanted to scream when he came to and realized that he still lived. He started shaking immediately, his belly quivering like jelly, and big tears rolled down his round face, plopped onto his stomach, and fell from there to the snowy ground. A wail built in his throat. He had failed!

James no longer wanted him! His beloved Pirate Captain had finally come to his senses and was no longer enthralled by him! He wanted a woman instead, and with James having awakened to what Smee had feared all along that he one day would, there was nothing left in this world for Samuel! He knew Connor and Frederic wouldn't understand, but he also knew that James would be a much better father to their boys whereas he would only be an embarrassment and failure.

That was all he'd ever been, after all, for so long now that it was the only way Smee knew to think of himself. He forced himself to sit up, his head aching, and peered around at his surroundings through bleary, tear-filled eyes. He hadn't succeeded last night, but he would succeed before his children found him and tried to talk him out of doing what he was intent upon doing.

Smee's head screamed at him as he got to his bare feet in the snow. He unconsciously tried to pull his small shirt down against the cold, but the shirt merely popped back up above his stomach as soon as he got it over his three rolls of fat. Smee sniffled, tears dripping off of his round, red nose, and looked around again.

He had to do it now before his boys found him. He had to take his life while he was still alone for he knew he could not bear to cause his boys pain and would not have the courage to do what he had to do if they were with him. They would hurt after first losing him, but James would pull them around and show them that they were indeed better off without him.

Sobbing aloud, Smee headed for the ocean at a run. He'd bellyflop into its freezing waters and let the sea claim his life. Then James would be free, their children better off, and the pain that consumed his heart would no longer matter. As Smee trudged toward the ocean, he opened his mouth in one last cry of James' name and then dove.

* * *

As soon as Roxanne had reached the blonde woman and dark-skinned man, she had rolled the woman off of the man, stripped what remained of her black shirt off, and set to trying to stop her bleeding. She had barely succeeded in doing that and was trying to figure out what she could use to pick the bullet out of the woman's wound when a voice spoke up from behind her. "Can I ask you a question, or are you going to try to eat me too?"

"I don't have time for a question," Roxanne retorted without looking at the speaker, "but whatever your problem is, we can deal with it shortly. For now, make yourself useful."

"I am useful, and I'm trying to find the children! Have you seen them? They went out to play Hide and Seek -- "

"Hide and Seek?"

"That's what I said, isn't it? Any way, they went out to play Hide and Seek, and I haven't seen them since!"

"Then it's your fault for letting them play a game in the middle of chaos! Do you have a hair pin or brooch?"

"What's that got to do with anything? And what's my fault? I haven't done anything!"

Roxanne shook her head and muttered underneath her breath. "Mujer estúpida. ¿Por qué dibujo siempre a idiotas?"

Sasha brushed against Roxanne's side, and the Latina looked questioningly down at her pet. The jaguar picked up a paw, unsheathed her claw, and hooked it as though she were catching hold to something in the air. "Hmm . . . " Roxanne mused. "It's not exactly sterilized, but I guess it'll have to do . . . "

"What'll have to do for what?" Jasmine asked, her forehead creased in confusion and head shaking in complete bewilderment. She watched as Roxanne took Sasha's paw in her hand and gently but firmly shoved her claw down into the snow. "What are you doing that for?"

Roxanne ignored the other woman. She didn't even have to look at her to know that she had to be a blonde. Sasha waited for her mistress to use her as she needed to while Yasmine looked up at the blonde with a growl, her long tail thumping warningly against the snow. She didn't know what this bit's problem was, but she was growing quickly tired of it . . .

"**_KYNA!_**" A yell from yet another voice caused the women to look in the screaming man's direction, and all eight eyes widened in astonished surprise as a blonde man completely clad in tight black chased a rolling head across the hill of snow. Roxanne shook her head and forced her attention to turn back to her work. Sasha also turned her attention back to her paw, and Yasmine looked again to the blonde.

Jasmine's mouth had fallen open at the sight, and only now did she find her voice again. "Euuw! Euuw! Euuw! Yuck! Gross! What is _wrong_ with that man!"

Roxanne ignored her and pulled Sasha's paw from the snow. "Grr?" Sasha questioned her mistress.

Roxanne nodded. "Si. Vaya para él, mi dulce."

"Hey!" Jasmine exclaimed from behind them. "Did you hear me?" As Roxanne released her hold on Sasha's paw and the jaguar's paw approached the gaping hole on the unconscious blonde's chest, Jasmine questioned, "What's she doing?"

Jasmine's eyes grew steadily wider with each inch that Sasha's paw came closer to the wound. When Sasha's claw entered the wound and blood spurted out at the impact, Jasmine screeched, turned from the sight, and promptly hurled. Yasmine growled in a fierce protest and jumped back, leaping over Sasha's back and to her mate's other side, as vomit sprayed the snow.

Roxanne glanced at the blonde even as Sasha struggled to concentrate on finding the bullet. "Can you not just go away!"

It was then that the snow shifted underneath them all . . .

* * *

James was caught in a nightmare. His beloved Smee was dead, and all around him were beautiful women chasing him and wanting him. All he could do was run, but it was as though his feet were caught in quicksand, because the more he ran, the further he sank into their midst.

"**_SMEE!_**" he screamed, never realizing that it came from his physical mouth and that his mustache quivered with fear both in his dream and the physical plane. Women were worse than any croc that could have ever attacked him! "Get off of me, wenches! I want none of you! Where's my Smee!" He once again cried Smee's name.

Frederic, laying beside his father, was awakened to James screaming Smee's name. He dashed the sleep from his eyes and sat up, his sharp eyes quickly scanning the area. He was surprised to see snow but dismayed when he could find no sign of Smee anywhere. Where could his father be?

"Dad!" he called urgently as he shook James gently at first and then harder. James appeared to be intent upon fighting even him, but as James' fists flayed the air, Frederic swiftly ducked the blows and shook his father even harder. "Wake up, Dad! We must find Smee! I don't see him anywhere!"

Frederic shook James until he opened his eyes. "What?" James asked.

"I don't see Smee anywhere!" Frederic told him.

"He was in my dream, but he was _dead_!" James wailed.

"Dad, get a hold of yourself! He might be, but I don't think so! At least, I hope he's still alive!" Frederic bravely said. "But we must go looking for him." He got to his feet, but even from that height, he could not see Smee. He reached down to help his father, James, to his feet.

James' eagle eyes caught sight of footprints in the snow. "Smee?" he asked hopefully. There was no mistaking those footprints. He quickly followed the trace of the footprints only to see that they went into the ocean. "He went that way!" he exclaimed, his quivering hook pointing out the trail to Frederic. He started running for the ocean, hoping that they'd be in time.

Frederic ran behind his father.

* * *

From deep within his frozen Hell, Cole could hear Piper's wonderful voice calling him. He did his best to answer her, but he had never been so cold in his life and his body would not do what he wanted it to do. He felt her warm tears falling onto his face. Again he tried to respond to her, but he knew he was freezing to death.

Wrapped only in a Pirate flag, his strong body had betrayed him, and he did not feel that he even had a small shimmer left in him. But Piper calling him made him reach for that one tiny spark, and with her help, it was just enough to break him free from the frozen fingers of death. He had to get them somewhere warm before they both froze to death. Without answering her, he shimmered both of them.

* * *

Jack stirred, but something was on top of him that he couldn't move. He could hear Brendan loud and clear, though! He tried to yell through whatever was covering him, but all he could get out was a sleepy mumble.

"Brendan, stop that infernal howling! Go turn the cock off! Knock him out if you have to, but stop howling and get whatever the Hell's on me off!" He wondered where Will was and why Will had allowed Brendan to do all the howling. "Get the cock down!"

* * *

Delvira had passed by Lorne and continued toward Angel as she knew that he was the fighter between the two. She had almost reached the other Vampire when her world spun unexpectedly, causing her to fall. She landed hard, and her eyes widened at the surface her back was met with -- a cold, hard _floor_ . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

**Somewhere in the Caribbean**

Morph's heart raced even faster than his stubby, furry legs as he combed the snow-covered shoreline in search of one. His heart pounded where it had become lodged in his throat, and he fought down the howl that rose in his canine form even as Brendan's Werewolf let loose another howl. Celina had to be here somewhere, and he had to find her!

Thoughts and images flashed through his mind as he recalled last night. He'd found Trent, the stupid human who he'd been ignorant enough to entrust his beloved wife to, and the boy seemed to be in no worse shape than he had been when he'd last seen him. He'd found Katrina and Tom, both who breathed shallowly after ripping into his arms and legs last night when he'd grabbed hold to them and dove into the water to escape Frostbite. But still there was no sign of Celina.

He should have just let the blonde deal with his own problems and relied upon himself to rescue Celina, Katrina, and Tom. With the three of them out, he should have known it was up to him, but no, he'd been stupid enough to trust a stranger, even if the man was the brother of Trina Malloy and did come from Destiny's Ghost. He had been a fool not once but twice that night, even if the redhead's breasts had felt wonderfully firm and _naked_ underneath his chin, and now that stupidity might cost him the one thing he held dearer than anything else.

The chilly breeze rippled through the area again, but this time it brought with it the one scent he'd been praying to smell ever since exchanging his human flesh for a thick, shaggy coat of dog fur. _Celina!_ He changed direction and raced after her scent, but before he could get further than two feet in the snow, he found his feet unexpectedly knocked out from under him. His inner dog barked anxiously as he fell . . .

* * *

**Somewhere, No Longer in the Caribbean**

Sasha's claw had almost closed in upon the bullet in the blonde's chest when the world around them suddenly shifted. The air itself seemed to sparkle with a strange whiteness, and the jaguars and their mistress felt as though they were held suspended in the sparkling air by an invisible force. They barely had time to digest that information before the force dropped them, and they fell hard onto a cold, stone floor.

"¿Qué el infierno?" Roxanne demanded in Spanish even as Jasmine shrieked. The Latina's brown eyes flashed at the loud-mouthed blonde as her jaguars roared their protests and their tails slashed through the air. "¡Cierre para arriba!"

Jasmine was taken aback at the rudeness of the Latina. Her head jerked back, and her blue eyes blinked. "Wha -- What?" she finally managed to ask.

Roxanne sighed. "Be quiet," she snapped. It was then that she heard cackling, and the growl in the back of Roxanne's throat sounded simultaneously with her familiars' growls as Jasmine screamed a second time.

Roxanne's gaze turned from the aggravating blonde to check on her cats. Both seemed well, though the injured woman's blood had splattered against Sasha's spotted fur when they'd been snatched. Satisfied that they were all right, Roxanne turned her questing gaze to look up, up, UP into what seemed to be a fathomless blackness above them that had neither end nor beginning.

"¿Qué ahora?" Roxanne warily questioned even as she hoped Theodora had not been worse injured in the fall. How _had_ she survived the night before, and what power had returned the color to her beautiful face and the strength to her voice and, as far as Roxanne had been able to tell in their brief moment together earlier, her nubile body?

* * *

As Smee had taken his final dive, memories of the times he'd spent, both happy and sad, with James, their boys, and the leader who had brought him together with James in the first place, the great Salem Saberhagen, had flashed through his head. The water had been icy cold as he'd entered it, and he had made no move to break and swim toward the surface. Instead, he had continued his dive, his hands desperately but firmly clasped together in front of his red, sniffling nose and his rolls of fat quivering as the freezing temperature set into him.

His eyes had just been drifting shut and he had known that it would not take much longer when, suddenly, he fell hard against a hard surface. The pain shot first through his hands and then the rest of his body, and he exclaimed with the pain as he rolled over onto his wide bottom. Smee blinked several times, still shivering with cold, and tried to look around him, but all he could see was dark.

Was this Hell? If it was, he knew what he'd find. "J-James?" his voice quivered even more than his body shook. James would come out any second now, laughing and singing with women adorning every inch of his strong arms. The thought alone made Smee shake even harder. "Pl-Please d-d-don't . . . " he very nearly whimpered.

* * *

Brendan had been about to howl again when Jack had called to him, yelling at him to stop his howling and something else that his Werewolf brain had no clue what it was. His head drew back, and he grunted, his head tilting to one side while he studied Jack, who had been freed from the snow by the fall and now appeared to be very much alive. He grunted questioningly again as Jack hollered once more at him.

Brendan moved onto all fours and began to cautiously approach his brother but stopped as voices rang out suddenly. His yellow eyes turned up into the darkness, and he growled. His lupine sight could see as well in this pitch-black darkness as though it had been light all around them, but he could see no end to the walls that now enclosed them. His lips pulled back, revealing his saliva-dripping fangs, as he growled more fiercely at the strangers.

* * *

Trent had landed hard on his side, further bruising ribs that were already injured. He rolled, groaning as he did so and reaching out to feel with his hands. He sat up immediately, his head swimming and his blue eyes wide with fear.

"Trina!" he exclaimed through the fear that clogged his throat. "Carlos!" Where were they! He'd had them, but now they were gone! Oh, God! Surely he had not let go of them! Please, God, they have to be here somewhere! he thought frantically as he struggled to his feet.

* * *

Salem had just been shaking his black fur off from the snow when he'd heard Jack exclaim yet again. "Get the cock down!" The cat shook his head, wondering why in the universe the Pirate Captain would be yelling about a non-existent rooster, when cackling exploded from far over head. He went stiff instantly at the familiar voices and froze to the spot, his green eyes shooting wide. No, it couldn't be!

Between gasps and snorts of cackling laughter, feminine voices discussed Jack's words. One amongst their number sounded far more astonished and dismayed than the others, who were having a really good laugh. "No!" she gasped. "It can't be! I mean, I knew he was homosexual, but certainly he can't be doing it with _that_! I mean, just _look_ at how big it is! Surely, two perfectly fine, _strong_ males as themselves can not be _gay_!"

"Actually," one corrected between laughs, the tone of her voice making it clear that she was having difficulty keeping a straight face, "yes, it is perfectly possible, but I thought he was with some sort of Turner boy?"

The third voice that exclaimed was not feminine and instead belonged to a frustrated, angry male. This voice set Salem's jet black fur on end and sent his green eyes as huge around as saucers. "Shut up, you stupid wenches, before you ruin our entrance!" His voice was a low hiss, but Salem's feline ears could still make out his words as easily as if he'd been yelling instead, which he clearly wanted to do.

"No!" Salem whispered. "It can't be! Not _them_!"

* * *

The Irish woman's head pounded terribly as she came around, but she ignored the pain and snapped her eyes open instead. It took her vision a moment to adjust to the blackness, but then she was able to see somewhat as she forced herself to a sitting position. Two-legged bodies were everywhere, but nowhere did she see any of her animals or Ace. Terror clung at Kat's heart as she balled a hand into a fist and lit up her knuckles with a fireball. She moved it around, further illuminating the scene around her and spying the stone walls with a worried frown, but still she could find her family nowhere.

She murmured in her natural Celtic tongue and kept her tone angry, a trick she'd learned long ago to hide her fear. She got to her booted feet and again looked around, but still she saw them nowhere. She raised her arm and began to walk, constantly casting the firelight about. At last, it flickered upon a naked body that she recognized, and she hurried over to the blonde, the heels of her boots echoing in their enclosement which she could only take to be some kind of a prison.

Kat knelt beside the blonde and reached out with her empty hand. The girl still breathed and seemed to be fine, a fact that Kat knew was thanks to her transformation during the full moon. The transformation had cast away all the human body's pain and aches, and Kat thanked Bast for that even as she shook the girl. "Zora? Zora, wake up!"

Zora stirred sleepily. "C-Connor?" she murmured.

"Nae! Open yer eyes, lass! We've trouble!"

Zora's eyes opened, and her wild, green eyes gazed up at the redhead from underneath the shock of blonde hair that had fallen into her face as it so often did. "Kat?" she questioned.

"Aye, 'tis good tae see ye, tae, lass, but now's nae the time. We've got tae find Ace, Capt'n, an' the others, an' then, when this's all o'er, Ace can explain tae ye what happened."

Zora did not ask why Ace would explain it to her and not Kat; she already knew. Kat had missed her, but to explain things would bring back all the worry, fear, and doubt from before, all emotions that Kat, like herself, would never admit to. "We've got to find Connor and Vang, too," Zora told her even as voices sounded from far above. "They've got to be here somewhere. Have you seen them?"

Kat knew Zora's brain was still fogged for the girl would know otherwise that, had she seen Vang, the tiger would be beside her now. "Nae," she said, shaking her head in a motion that set her long, fiery red hair sliding across her ripped trench coat. "I've nae seen any o' the animals nor Ace, but who's this Connor ye keep goin' on about? A lad?"

Zora nodded, a grin coming to her face at the thought of him. "He's a brunette, tall for our age, slender, got some muscles on his arms . . . "

Kat shook her head even as she helped Zora to her bare feet. "Sorry, lass, but ye knae Ah ain't been lookin' fer any humans other'n Ace."

Zora nodded again, ignoring the migraine that throbbed in her head and silently noting the second accent in Kat's voice. Any one outside of herself, Vang, and Ace who heard Kat right now would have a hard time understanding the older woman, and Zora knew that both of Kat's accents only predominated her trained English when she was either tired or afraid. She didn't need to ask which this one was and knew that her friend's heart was probably beating as wildly and fearfully as her own was. The two women set out together, Kat's fire shining constantly around as they searched desperately for some sign of their family.

* * *

"Not who?"

The familiar voice brought Salem's racing thoughts to an abrupt pause, and he turned to peer through the darkness at Faith. His breath stopped in his throat, and all his other thoughts froze as he saw the blood she was covered in and the odd angles her body lay at. "What happened?" he questioned her, quickly sprinting over to her side.

Faith ignored his concerned question and repeated instead, "Not who?"

"You'll find out soon enough," the black cat replied, and she only then realized that he was still whispering. "Too soon actually," he added with a twitch of his tail. "Now _what_ happened?"

Faith sighed. "What the Hell does it look like happened?"

"It looks like you were run over by several carriages and then Death Himself."

"Good enough," Faith returned. "Now, answer me, Salem. What the fuck is going on?"

But, still, he remained silent, refusing to give her an answer and praying to Bast that this was only a horrible nightmare.

* * *

Jack slowly sat up, keeping his eyes on Brendan the whole time. He heard the twittering of the wenches that were somewhere far above them about his comment and felt himself blush. "What is it, Brendan?" he whispered. "Is it some one we know?"

He didn't really expect Brendan to answer him although he wished his brother would come back to him instead of staying in wolf form. Where had his damn cane gotten to? If he hit Brendan several times with it, he might get him back!

He was almost afraid to move as his eyes, too, wandered upward. He could tell there were others up there but could not see them clearly. Could this be Hell and this day their judgment day? He felt as though they had just come through a night of Hell and had hoped that they would find themselves upon their island in safety once again.

There was a gap, his bewildered mind told him. Somewhere between the last of the fighting and the falling into oblivion and now falling into Hell, there was a period missing from his mind where he didn't know what had happened.

His eyes traveled back down and looked around at the people he could see in the dimly-lit area. There were no lights in this Hellhole, and he could plainly see that the only light anywhere was coming from Kat O'Hara. He adverted his eyes from Zora.

How many of his people had died, he wondered, and how many were now in this Hellhole with them? Where was his beloved Will? He would give his right arm to catch even a glimpse of him and know that he was safe. Where was Donkey's braying mouth? Where was his father in all this chaos? Was he even alive?

His hand reached out blindly to grasp Brendan's shoulder. He sought comfort and did not even realize that this was the first time he had actually laid his hand on his brother while in his Werewolf form. If he had thought about it, he might never have touched him lest he lose his hand.

When Jack had started talking, the Werewolf had turned back around, moving in a circular motion on his haunches, to look at the Pirate. He had grunted and had been watching him ever since, emotions flickering in his yellow eyes. His growling had also ceased, and his lips closed over his fangs. He had watched Jack the entire time Jack had been taking in everything else and had barely breathed while doing so.

When Jack reached out and actually touched him, Brendan's fur tensed underneath his brother's hand. The Werewolf turned his head again, this time looking even more directly into Jack's eyes, and his yellow eyes seemed to shimmer. A sound that hovered between a half-growl and a grunt ushered from his mouth.

"Can you smell Will?" Jack continued to talk to Brendan as though Brendan could understand him. He hoped he could. "Is Dad here?" He gently patted Brendan's shoulder. He had not flinched when the wolf's eyes had looked into his so intently but felt, for once, to be one with his brother's beast, wishing that he could see what his brother could see and smell what he knew his brother could smell. He only hoped, when they were attacked, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with his brother and perhaps save his people in their fight to be free.

The Werewolf grunted, his lupine mind struggling to understand his furless brother's words. He did not understand most of his words nor his first question, though he sensed a deep urgency behind it. He did, however, comprehend the word "Dad". He gave a soft growl and moved away, then looked back to Jack.

"Dad's here?" Jack asked at Brendan's reaction. He prayed he was alive.

The Werewolf made a circle, ambling back to Jack and then away again.

"You want me to follow you?" Jack asked him.

The wolf stared at Jack, wishing he could understand the human language. Thinking back over the ways he'd seen humans communicate, he gestured to his brother by jerking his head in the direction he'd started in. He moved off further and looked back to see if Jack would follow.

Jack got slowly to his feet and began to follow behind Brendan. He was surprised that they were not chained or hindered by restraints of any kind. He could hear rustlings and whisperings coming from above and wondered why they had not pounced upon them. What were they waiting for? Were they imps and Demons or something else?

As he was following Brendan, he saw Faith and Salem. He almost gasped aloud at the shape that his sister was in. Was she broken? Oh my Gods! he thought. She's one of my best fighters, and she looks as though she's done for! Where are my healers?

He had never seen Salem so scared for it seemed that every hair on the cat's body stood out. Did he know what was going on and what was about to befall them? He heard Faith's question and rushed over to kneel beside her. He wanted to move her, but he had no knowledge of doctoring. Could Brendan help her? His eyes glanced back to where he had left Brendan, and his hand motioned for Brendan to come forward.

The Werewolf stared at Jack but made no motion to come forward. A growl rose deep in his throat as the sweet scent of Faith's blood assailed his nostrils. He backed up hurriedly, wanting to get as far away from the delicious aroma as he could before he did something that would make both his pack and him hate himself. When Faith spoke again, the Werewolf split and run.

Realizing that Salem wasn't about to answer her question, Faith turned her gaze to Jack, who had just rushed to her side. She could see the fear on his face and hear the beads that rattled in his hair. "I see you made it." She managed a weak half-grin, half-smirk as though she were teasing him.

Jack looked after Brendan with a hopelessness that showed in his eyes. How could his brother run off and leave him? Then he realized that Faith being covered in blood would have made a tasty snack for a Werewolf. He smacked himself in the head with his hand. "What an idiot! I wasn't thinking straight," he told Faith as way of apology. "Brendan, the doctor, is not the same as Brendan, the wolf, and he was smart enough to realize it."

"I could've told ya you were an idiot, Birdboy," Faith told him, her voice weak despite the teasing look her lips firmly held on to. "Dawson . . . The kid went for a healer. I asked Salem what the fuck's going on, but he didn't wanna answer. You got one for me?"

Jack looked down into his sister's face even as he reached forward and touched her gently, stroking her cheek. "I don't have an answer, Faith, but I will go and look for a healer. Please don't move, and hang on. I don't want to lose you."

He tried his best to smile, but it only came out half-heartedly. "Dad's out here somewhere. Brendan was taking me to him. Maybe I can get Brendan's attention if I call him, and he can take me to find one of the healers. Just lay still, and please hang on."

Faith tried to roll her eyes at Jack's words but she couldn't quite manage it. She'd moved her head away from his touch at first but now turned her cheek back against his hand in order to look up into his eyes. "You're not losing me this easily, Birdboy. If I was going anywhere, I would've gone last night."

He gave her another one of his lop-sided grins at the nickname she teased him with so easily. He didn't have one for her yet, but he'd find one. "I'll find Dawson, too, while we're gone," he promised her. He looked around for Brendan but did not see him. He called out for his brother.

"When ya find Dawson," Faith told Jack, trying and failing to make her tone and facial expression normal, "do me a favor an' make sure he's okay. I can't exactly tell right now."

"I'll have the healer check him out. I'm going for Katrina."

"Salem," Faith called to the cat at her head again, "I know ya ain't about to answer me, so why don't you just lend Jack a paw?" She again attempted to tease him. "Birdboy can always use all the help he can get."

Jack smiled. "That's definitely true, Faith. You remember that when the fighting starts." He got to his feet and looked down at her one last time.

"I will," Faith said, cracking a quivering grin up at Jack. "You get me my damn body straightened back out, and I'll be there right beside ya, gutting and killing whatever's comin' at us next. But I swear," she admitted before she could stop herself, "these damn things've got to end sometime." Before he could respond to the weary slip she'd made, she called to Salem. "Salem?"

The ebony cat shook himself. "Yea . . . Yes?"

"Go with Jack," Faith told him. "Help him out."

"I can . . . I can do that," Salem agreed hesitantly, getting up and stalking toward Jack as though his entire body were stiff. I think. He gulped, his eyes looking back up.

Still looking down at Faith, Jack told her, "I'll hold ya to that, sister." He turned and walked in the direction that Brendan had been leading him, his eyes diligently seeking out a healer and praying that he would soon find one. When Salem caught Katrina's scent and sprinted ahead of Jack, Jack started following him instead.

* * *

James had been searching for Smee. It was so dark where they were at that he had to be extremely careful not to step on some one. About half the people he came to were laying still on the floor. Were they dead? he wondered. He didn't have time to check them out.

He had to find Smee, because he had the idea that once Smee started trying to do himself in, he wouldn't stop until he'd accomplished the fact. Even his keen eyes could not see good in this darkness. Way over to the other side of the room, he could see a pale light and realized that it was the Captain of the animal ship. She was searching for her people, he figured, and was not about to help him to find Smee.

A thought occurred to James, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out his tenderpistol. A frustrated groan came from his lips as it refused to light. "Damn, damn, damn!" he muttered, his mustache bristling.

Frederic, close by his father's elbow, had watched its failed attempt. How could they find his father, Smee, without crawling and walking over the bodies that lay all around them? It wasn't as though they could shake them and yell at them to get out of the way nor could they possibly make it through the maze of bodies. Where was Smee?

James repocketed the device. He did not want to lose it. They were hard to come by, and he had stolen this one off of a Spanish captain many years before he had been trapped in Neverland. He doubted he could ever find another one.

Continuing on their way blindly and slowly, it was not long before they fell over a body. Frederic found himself staring into his brother's face. Connor's eyes opened slowly and looked up into Frederic's eyes. "Dad?" he asked.

Frederic shook his head. "We're looking for Smee. He's trying to kill himself. James is here, though. Can you help us find Smee?"

"What do you mean Smee is trying to kill himself! He's never leaned that way before!" Connor told Frederic even as he sat up, wondering where Zora was. He looked all around but did not see her. He was relieved to see Vang laying not too far from them, close enough for him to touch. He touched the big cat's shoulder. "Vang?"

Vang stirred in his sleep, growling and grumbling in feline language. As Connor's persisting touch and calling of his name brought him slowly around, the first thing Vang became aware of was the searing pain in his groin. The second was his throbbing headache, and the third the fact that the full moon had overtaken him last night in the midst of chaos. Without opening his eyes, he raised a paw to rub his temples. Blessed Bast, what had he _done_ last night! He didn't know and wasn't sure he wanted to from the pain that screamed through him at the slightest flick of his striped tail.

Frederic looked at Connor for a moment before opening his mouth to answer him. His mouth shut abruptly, however, and his doubting eyes turned back to look at James. Why _had_ James done what he'd done? They'd been told that James had nearly copulated with a female, and though Frederic knew that his father would never willingly bed a woman -- at least, he'd never thought he would before --, James had yet to actually deny the accusation! He took a step away from his father and raised an eyebrow at him, eyeing him suspiciously. "Dad?" he questioned.

James gulped and then, in a trembling voice, told his boys. "I was rescued by Delvira and will always owe her a debt for that rescue. Some one put me under a spell, and that same some one tried to take me down. I didn't lift a single finger to stop her, but instead, went after her like a cat in heat!" His mustache bristled and quivered simultaneously.

Vang groaned at James' words, and his groan verged on the borderline of a growl. "Don't," he managed, "even go there."

"For the life of me, I could not stop myself and responded to her advances rapturously! Unfortunately, Helvira knew and informed Smee! Your poor father has thought himself a burden too lowly to be loved by any one since the curse, so now he thinks I don't love him and want to be with women and he doesn't want to live! All I want to do is find him and prove to him that he is the most important one in my life next to you two boys! He _is_ my life, but he's tried to kill himself twice and I, alas, have been unable to reach and stop him!"

"First, I was caught, chained, and had to watch him jump. Frederic and I both jumped behind him. When we awoke on what looked to be an island, he had already awakened and had headed for the ocean to drown himself! Frederic and I followed, and that's when we landed here! If we're here, he must be here somewhere, but we can't find him in all this sea of bodies! I tried to light my tenderpistol, and it's wet, damn it!"

Connor grinned as he got to his feet. "I'll find him. We'll make things right. Vang, you stay here and rest." Looking at his father and brother with a funny expression as he recalled what he'd witnessed the tiger do to the Vampiress the previous night, he explained in a low whisper that Vang heard perfectly well, "I don't think the big cat's able to go."

"Perhaps then, Connor," Vang spoke up with a swish of his tail that he regretted instantly, "you can enlighten me as to just _what_ I did last night?"

"You don't want to know!" Connor told him in a chiding voice. "Believe me, you don't want to know!"

Vang hesitated, then asked a question concerning something that he'd always been afraid of. "Did it concern Zora?"

"No, it concerned a Vampiress and a wooden floor." He then turned and walked away, his keen eyes picking out faces of their allies. Where was Smee? They had to find him, and soon, before he had a chance to do something to himself that they'd all regret!

Frederic shot Vang one last curious look before following after Connor and his father. Vang growled and rolled to his feet. He rocked groggily at first but concentrated on placing one paw after another and following behind Hook and his boys. He knew Zora would never forgive him if he let something happen to Connor.

* * *

Prue had been awake for a while and searching in vain for her sisters. It was so dark and mostly quiet wherever they were being held that she almost thought it might be a tomb. It would have been quiet except for all the wailing that was going on, voices she could not identify calling for their loved ones, and the howls she'd heard earlier and had known had come from Brendan.

The howls had suddenly been cut off, and she had no idea what had happened to her beloved. She had not yet found her sisters or her Auntie 'Ro. She said a quick prayer, standing still with her eyes closed, for the safety of her family, and when she opened her eyes, she spied Brendan, cowering in a corner. His front paws covered his nose and most of his eyes, but she could see the yellow orbs staring as though they were looking into Hell itself.

She walked slowly forward, talking softly. "Brendan, it's just me. Everything's going to be okay." She held one hand out to him, hoping that she could get close enough to him to touch him.

Her mind quickly thought back on what he had done for her earlier, and she had not even had a chance to thank him for it yet. She wanted to hold him and comfort him but feared that he would not let her get close enough to him. She continued walking toward him and talking gently as though he were a child. "Thank you for taking care of me," she said in the wolf language.

As Prue gently spoke to him and cautiously approached him, Brendan's paws slowly dropped down further. They continued to block his nose, his oxygen coming in through his mouth, but moved just enough that he could peek between them at his mate. Her long, torn skirt rustled as she moved toward him, and her long, ebony hair framed her face. Though her dress was in tatters and her body bruised and dirtied, she was still the most beautiful creature the Werewolf had ever seen, and the sight captivated him.

Still, the Werewolf remained afraid, and his paws continued to clench his nose in a desperate attempt to keep out the scent of blood. At the same time, however, he could taste its sweetness on the air, and the taste made his stomach rumble. He growled in the back of his throat, not even aware of the sound, as he watched Prue coming closer and listened to her talk to him.

She thanked him, but for what? All he had done was save her, keep her from falling, . . . almost at the cost of his brother's life. He had realized what he'd done after awakening as his lupine mind had played back over the events, and he had been terrified that he had killed Jack when he'd pushed him in order to reach his mate. That was why he had been howling when Jack had come around and why even his Werewolf form knew that his brother was better off without him.

Still, he had done it to get to his mate and save her before she could fall to her death, and he knew that he would do it again if he had to. Prue mystified him, confused him, and filled him with emotions that the wolf had no name for, emotions that ran deeper than mere animalistic lust. He knew she was the one, the only one, the one he loved, his destined mate, yet still he feared and did not know why.

At last, Prue reached Brendan and knelt down beside him. She slipped her arms around his neck and hugged him gently before pressing her lips to his furry cheek. She sat beside him and attempted to pull him to her. Why did it always seem that she could get so much closer to the wolf than she could to the man?

She had seen Jack fall, and she knew how much it bothered Brendan. She did not know if Jack was alive but felt, in her heart, that he was. This wonderful man had saved her at what cost to himself? And yet she felt that he did not regret it.

He was her mate, and she loved him. She only wished he loved her. Why would he do such a wonderful thing as save her if he didn't love her? she reasoned. He had to love her, but when would he show her that he did?

She continued to hold him, hoping that he would smell her and quit growling. She didn't know what had him so upset. Why wouldn't he tell her, or would he if she asked? Could it just be Jack, or was it something else?

The Werewolf did not know enough to resist Prue's pull nor did he try to resist the other pull that he felt for he sensed that she was behind it. Her touch elated him, and her kiss brought his little wolf to stand. The Werewolf leaned into her embrace, his growling growing softer and its texture changing. His stomach rumbled again at the taste of blood.

He could hear her heart racing, and its quickened rhythm matched that of his own heart. The union was music to his ears. He leaned in closer to her, turning his muzzle so that his mouth brushed against her hair. He dared to take one hand from his nose, and his claw gently pulled away a lock of hair that had fallen over her face and dropped it behind her shoulder. Then his claw touched her skin. Barely touching her, he traced her soft cheek.

Blood rushed through Prue's veins like she had only felt once or twice before and only with Brendan. She knew she was becoming overheated and now was not the time, but she did not wish to break their embrace. "Later," she whispered in wolf language. "After we're away from here, I will be yours," she promised him. She thrilled at his every touch, wishing that they could be alone together long enough for her to break his curse. She nestled even closer to him, her head leaning against his shoulder and her arms tightening around him.

Later was not a term that was in the Werewolf's vocabulary. He wanted what he wanted when he wanted it, and right now, he wanted Prue. He wanted to taste her lips, her flesh, her whole body. He wanted to lick her from one end to the other and nibble her every spot in between. His hunger and horniness raged within him like a tidal wave splashing against her shore, but he tried at first to control it long enough to figure out what her words had meant.

When Prue nestled into his shoulder, however, her scent engulfed his senses. His hard staff now stood at its peak and leaned right next to Prue's knees. Her scent tempted his nose, and the sound of her blood rushing through her veins and her heart beating wildly pounded in his mind like a hypnotic spell. The Werewolf lowered his head, and he began to lick her hair.

His arm snuck around her, holding her more firmly, and his mouth descended, his tongue parting strands of hair to lick at her neck. His hold tightened, and he scooped her suddenly, turning her onto her back on the floor and leaning over her. His mouth found hers as his member lay fully across the thinned fabric of her skirt.

Prue's mind was not thinking very clearly under Brendan's assault. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her. Part of her mind told her to stop their intimacy before it got completely out of control, but the other part of her was thinking how great it felt to be licked. She felt his sword, strong and firm, pushing against her, and she wanted him more than anything she'd ever wanted in her life! Still, warning bells went off in her head. They were not in a safe place; this must wait! However, her body kept telling her to go for it.

As the wolf's tongue parted her lips and he began to kiss her more fully, his sword poked at her dress. His lupine brain did not comprehend the concept of clothing nor did his sword understand the restraint it was meeting. It continued to poke of its own accord, seeking a way in, even as the Werewolf lifted his mouth from hers and moved to her neck instead.

Prue arched into Brendan's kiss, wanting his lips to be all over her at once. Her hands stroked his fur, constantly with the fur, not against it. She did not want to irritate him, but she did want more. Her body lifted upward toward his almost of its own accord.

She was losing the battle with her mind! Her body was winning! How long she had waited for Brendan to take her! It seemed that they were only seconds away from breaking the curse!

Blood pounded in the Werewolf's head as he suckled his mate's hairless neck. His fangs grazed her skin at first, then nibbled her. She tasted so sweet, so tender . . . He wanted more! No, he _needed_ more! He had to have her! His mouth opened wider, and he bit down . . .

With the bite, Prue pushed against Brendan. "That hurt," she spoke softly to him. "Don't do that again!" Yet part of her wanted him to do it again. Was the pain part of sex with a Werewolf? Did it have to be part of it for the curse to end? She was willing to undergo the pain to save Brendan, but did it have to hurt so badly?

At Prue's protests, the Werewolf pinned her more firmly to the floor, his left paw sliding between their bodies and grasping her breast. His fangs dug deeper as he drank . . .

"I said stop it, Brendan!" Prue protested again. She now beat on Brendan's chest, but his right paw caught her hands. She felt her body and mind going into an euphoric state and knew that she had to do something before she lost all of her senses. Was he eating her! she wondered.

Now the pain was going more into pleasure. She seemed to be melting into him, but then he appeared to be getting violent as he held her hands in such a firm grip and would not let her have them back. "Let go of me! Get off of me!" she told him fearfully in the wolf language.

Prue's fear spoken in the wolf language seeped past the need to fulfill his hunger, alerting him to what he was doing. Brendan snatched back, his fur rustling, as though he had been burned. The beast looked down at his mate who had come so close to being his prey, the horror and humanity crystal clear in his brown eyes. He howled as he sprang up and raced away on all fours.

Tears filled her eyes as she watched him run away, and her hand crept up to her neck where she felt a warm liquid. She pulled her hand away and was shocked to see that it was covered in blood. What had just happened? Had Brendan's wolf attacked her? What would have happened if she had not told him to go away?

No sooner had he gone than she wanted him back, but she knew that it was better that he be apart from her for now! She had to sort her thoughts out, and she had to find some one who was knowledgeable in these things. The next time they encountered each other, she had to be ready. She had to know what she had to do to save her man and herself. The only person she knew that would have all the answers would be Elvira.

* * *

Jack chased after Salem, hoping that he would soon come to Katrina. He did not know what to expect, but he knew that if he could only get to where Katrina was, she would heal Faith. He had not run very far when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder. He wheeled around, taking a fighting stance as he did so and raising his fists, only to have his mouth fall open in shock when he saw Albus Dumbledore fully cloaked, facing him with a finger at his lips to tell him to be quiet . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

**The North Pole**

Crystal had landed in a snowbank and had just stayed there for a few minutes, shivering not from the cold but rather from the immense pain in her heart and soul. Never had she hurt as much as she did now, not when she'd been attacked for the first time as a child, not when she'd lost Mark, nor even when she'd been cast out from the North Pole and her family there. It was a pain that blinded her with tears she dared not take the time to shed, a pain that made her breath come in short, shallow gasps, a pain that filled her more than anything else ever had.

She'd finally had a family again. After so many long years, she had finally found love and people who cared for her and loved her more than she'd ever deserved, but how had she repaid that love? By allowing Frostbite to go after them and then by running away when they were unconscious. She knew Lorne and Angel would never understand and never forgive her. Her children would know why she had done what she'd done but would be unable to understand why, after all these years, she'd even left them -- or, at least, they would refuse to understand.

Not that she could blame them. She was the lowliest bitch on the face of the planet for what she had done, risking all their lives, and there was nothing she could possibly do to make it up to them. All she could do was try to stop it from happening again before it was too late. Wiping the tears she had not even been aware of from her face, Crys blinked while sitting up, trying to gain focus so that she could see where she had landed.

She was faced with a town that caused her breath to catch in her throat. It had worked. She'd thought she'd never see this place again, but here she was. Cozy cottages and houses lined both sides of the makeshift road, a road that was not filled with gravel and did not have the snow shoveled away from it. No, the snow was only thinner where the road was and covered with footprints of all types.

Candy canes lined the road, as well, and a lantern hung from each cane, its fire casting light over the village. Cold winds whistled through the town, and Crys knew that it would not be long before her arrival was known, if, indeed, they did not already know. The winds rattled the lanterns, but their fires did not go out. Crys knew they never would . . . not unless some evil found a way to kill Christmas.

This was the town of Christmas come to life, a fairy tale place if indeed there ever had been one, and outsiders would not dream that evil could touch here. Insiders also did not believe it to be possible, but Crys knew that one of the deepest, darkest, most powerful evils lived here. It was an evil that was set to go after her family even now and the reason why she was here.

Getting to her feet, Crystal wiped away the last of the tears that she'd failed to hold back. As she wiped them away, she had to fight to keep from crying more, but she could not afford the time that it would take her to clear her vision again. She had to move swiftly if she was to save her family. She had to call Frostbite back here, away from the others and to her.

Turning around, Crystal found herself facing a winding pathway that appeared almost to be made of gingerbread crumbs. She never had been certain what it was and had even tried the tiny pebbles as a kid. They had actually tasted like gingerbread, but Mrs. C had always claimed that they were not to be eaten.

Shaking the thoughts away, Crystal looked around her. Snow was everywhere as were festive lights of all the lighter colors imaginable. Nowhere was there any sign of darkness, but Crys could feel him in her bones. He must be closing in on her family, which meant she had to hurry.

Spying the building she was looking for, Crystal headed toward it. She felt eyes following her and paused just long enough to turn her head in the direction she knew some one was watching her from. Her ice blue eyes met eyes of literal coal. At one time, the snowman would have grinned, taken his tophat off, and waved at her, but now his button mouth turned down in a frown and his sticks of arms waved condescendingly at her. "You shouldn't be here," he told her.

I know, Crystal thought. I should be able to be with my family, but I can not be. She did not answer him, however, but turned around and continued on at an even quicker pace as her heart cried out for Lorne, her children, and Angel.

As she neared the door, she had to pass by several others. Bright lights danced away from her, giving her wide berths, and tinkling voices repeated the snowman's warning to her. She shouldn't be here. They didn't want her here. She already knew all that! They didn't have to whisper about it all around her, nor did they have to tell it to her face!

Crystal was almost to the door when one of the many voices rose above a whisper. "Hey, she's actually going in!"

Her ice blue eyes darted to where three over-grown Elves were hiding in the shadows, watching her. It was the fat, balding one who had spoken, and now the brunette slapped him in the back of his head. "Shut up, you numbskull! You don't want her to hear you!"

Crys' eyes widened as she looked at the trio. They were outcasts amongst the Elves for they were far taller than most of the rest of Santa's Elves, and yet even they looked at her in fear. Even now the curly-haired one appeared to be ready to climb up the brunette. "Hey, Moe!" he exclaimed, his voice squeaking like a frightened mouse. "She's looking at us!"

"I can see that, you idiot!" Moe snapped, popping him. "Shut up, will ya, and maybe she won't say anything!"

Crystal didn't say anything. She just looked at them with sadness and turned her back to them. She was now before the door that was trimmed in green, gold, and red and had a wreath upon it. A mouse peeked out at her from the wreath, screamed, and hid back into its branches.

Crystal grasped the door knob but did not turn it just yet. Instead, she whispered swiftly, knowing her words would reach her uncle. "You think you know where I'm at, David Frost? You really do, don't you, uncle? But the game's on you! I never cared for those people, any of them, least of all that ugly, green Demon!" Her heart hurt more with each practiced word that passed between her lips.

"I just used them, used them to lure you away so that I could come home! I'm going to tell Santa the truth now, and there's nothing you can do about it because you're too busy chasing Pirates in the Caribbean!" She forced her words to sound snarling and belittling and shoved a bark of laughter in behind them.

"You want me, Frostbite?" she questioned the air with far more gutso than she'd ever felt when facing him. "Then you'd best come get me while you still can!" With that, she turned the knob, and the door swung open.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Pain was the first thing she was aware of. A searing, red-hot pain in her gut that made her hand go instinctively to it but then made her flinch when she touched the wound. She pulled her fingers away from the open spot, wriggling them in an effort to shake off the sticky substance that had plastered them and that she recognized as being her form of blood and the blood of others, others who she had never intended Ray to know about.

Mouse groaned as she sat up, her head pounding. She knew her wound and all her other physical aches and pains would heal with time, but what of Ray and the injury that their relationship had undoubtedly undertaken with his discovery of the truth, the truth that she'd tried so hard, for so many cycles, to hide from him? What would he say? What must he think of her now, now that he knew the awful truth?

Was he even still alive? They'd survived so many dangers together, but nothing quite like last night. Was her man even still alive to ridicule her, to be sickened at the sight of her and the realization of how she lived? She knew he would be. He had to be. It had taken Bob cycles to get used to the idea, and even then he had never looked at her the same again. She knew he never would, but he also would have kept her secret.

Everything would have been fine if not for that stupid Werewolf, but it was too late for "if"s now. She had to find Ray, Mouse thought as her purple eyes blinked open and quickly regained focus. She had to find Ray and make sure he was still among the processing, even if he no longer wanted anything to do with her, even if he screamed at the sight of her, even if he cursed her for what she had to do to live . . .

Her head spun as Mouse got to her feet. She tried to ignore the thoughts and images that burned their way through her mind, but they continued persistently, each one worse than the last, as she began her hunt. She could hear wailing and voices calling for their loved ones all around her, but though some of the voices were familiar, none were the one she searched for nor did any of them belong to the rest of her family.

Crew members, yes, but not her family. Many Pirates grew to consider their crew mates their family members, but not Mouse. It had taken her cycles to accept the familial relationships that had been offered to her back in Mainframe, but once she had, nothing could have swayed her loyalty from her unit. Now, however, as she searched for Ray, she feared that their loyalty would turn from her. She would soon lose her family, Mouse realized, her hand at the ready on the hilt of her blade.

She knew already without finding him that she had lost Ray, and she would lose her family just as soon as he found Enzo and AndrAla and told them the awful truth. Bob would side with them, she knew, though he wouldn't turn against her in private, but by the 'Net, she didn't want Bob. She wanted Ray, and she had as surely lost him as the hole in her stomach was already healing itself! Mouse shoved down the dejected sigh that rose in her throat and continued her search.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Morph had lost Celina's scent when he'd fallen but had resumed his search as soon as he'd found solid ground underneath his paws again. Now, at last, he'd picked her scent back up and followed it as swiftly as he could, his four legs growing into the long, agile build of a greyhound's to increase his speed. He leaped over bodies, sprinted around grievers, and darted between Spike's legs just when he was closing in on Kyna's head. The Vampire's yell of protest went unnoticed by the shapeshifter as he continued after his own wife.

Finally, Morph reached her, and as he closed in on her, he began to demorph. He fell onto his knees beside her, and his canine nose shrank back to human as his tear-filled eyes gazed down upon her beauty. Her chocolate and cream fur was flat against her body, and she was the stillest he'd seen her in a long time. She did not even appear to be breathing. "Celina!" he cried her name as soon as his mouth returned, his fur-covered hands reaching out to shake her.

When Celina did not respond to his touch, Morph laid his head against her breast and listened, his brown eyes wide with frantic fear. The sound of her heartbeat sent reassurance surging through his body, and with a whoop of relief, he leaned up, his shaggy, brown hair falling all around his face, to kiss her. His hand reached up, cupping her head and tilting it upwards so that her lips better met his own, and his fingers threaded into her ebony hair as he deepened the kiss.

Come on, love, he tried failingly to speak to her through the telepathic bond they shared. Wake up. He knew she would come to soon, and for that, he thanked the Gods. He only hoped that Katrina and Tom had fared as well, but he'd look for them only after his wife was awake and back at his side again.

The memory of laying his chin against the redhead's breasts came to him. This time, the memory disgusted him, and Morph did his best to hurriedly shove it away. Celina's fur might keep him from feeling her skin directly against his own, but she was still the only one for him. She always had been, and she always would be. His mind, heart, and soul all knew that; they only had to keep his member, which, unfortunately, had a mind all its own at times, under control.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sandpaper kisses were the first thing she became aware of as her mind turned back to consciousness. She swatted blindly at the cat running her tongue over her face. "Kit," she protested, "stop it!" Kit's loud, urgent meow brought her eyes flashing open. "What is it?"

And then she remembered. As the memories flashed through her head at a blinding rate, her face fell, and she murmured only, "Oh," yet her heart cried. Her mother and grandmother were dead, gone forever. Her life had become engulfed in Supernatural beings and Pirates, which, as cool as it was, was also incredibly dangerous. She had been taken along with her sisters, their aunt, and most of their new family by evil Piratesses who were bent on destroying them, yet she'd been saved by a strong . . . African? man.

She wasn't sure if her savior had truly been black or if it had merely been the lack of lighting that had made his skin appear to be so dark. It didn't really matter, she reasoned. What did matter was finding her sisters, their aunt, and, of course, Joxer. She prayed they were all right. What had happened after she'd been saved and reunited with Joxer? Phoebe frowned as she struggled to remember exactly what had happened.

Joxer and she had gone down into the sleeping quarters, where they'd thought they'd be safe. They had been joined, in time, by both Lex and Piper. Piper, whose eyes had been forced out of her head for the second time only to be returned by a healer but without her eyesight. Phoebe had been reading a spell to return her sister's eyesight and trying hard to make the chant work when Joxer had noticed that the walls were turning to ice. They'd fled to the water . . . But that was all Phoebe could remember.

Her frown increased. Something had to have happened to save them. They weren't still in the water, but -- her hand reached out and felt of the cold, stone floor beneath her -- they definitely weren't on land either. Where were they? Phoebe tried to look around, but all she could see was darkness.

As Kit meowed again, Phoebe gathered the Siamese cat close to her breasts and sat up. Still peering out at the darkness that was all around them, Phoebe called out. "Joxxy? Piper? Prue? Paige? Auntie 'Ro?" For a moment, no answer came to her at all, and then a wail that sounded even louder than the ones before it had frightened Phoebe.

"K-Kit," she nervously questioned the cat held in her arms, "w-what's g-going on?" The wails seemed to be growing in number now, but in truth, Phoebe was only starting to pay more attention to them. She didn't recognize a single voice that was crying nor any of the names they called. "I-Is this H-Hell?" Another shiver ran through Phoebe at the cat's answering meow.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Zora and Kat had been making their way through the shadows for some time now, winding in and out of unconscious bodies and glancing at those who were now conscious and moving around, but who neither woman cared about at that moment. The first of their own people that they came across was Hansel. He was on his knees in the floor, his face nearly touching his knees as he sobbed, whimpered, and cried in a heap.

The women glanced at each other, communicating without ever saying a word. They knew that Derek had been taken for they had heard Hansel crying for him when they first started on their search. They also realized that there was nothing they could do for their friend as they could not bring Derek back from the dead. Kat saw the glistening wetness in Zora's green eyes and blinked away the feel of tears from her own.

The redhead shook her head, and the blonde slowly nodded her agreement. There was nothing they could do for Hansel, and only time could heal the hole that Derek's murder had left in his heart. They would be there for him -- but later. Now they had to find their own family before they lost them as Hansel already had Derek.

The two women parted, walking around Hansel as his great sobs continued raking his body. The man sniffed as he unfurled from his position. He looked at the women through tear-filled eyes, not recognizing either for who they were, and collapsed again, once more screaming Derek's name. This time, his hand grabbed the heel of Kat's boot.

Kat very nearly fell, but she regained her composure at the last possible second and shook Hansel off of her boot. He looked up at her and between sniffles asked in a trembling voice, "D-D-Der-Der-Derek?"

Kat shook her head. "Nae. I'm sorry, but . . . "

Hansel's thundering cry drowned the rest of her response out as he flung himself once more against the floor. "**_DEREK!_**"

Kat and Zora looked at Hansel and then again at each other. Slowly, both women shook their heads, and each determinedly kept her tears from surfacing. They turned and continued their search together.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Crystal stepped through the open doorway into a busy workshop where activity stopped the very second she entered. Some Elves screamed; others tried desperately to hide themselves amongst rows of tables, work benches, and presents of all sizes and types. Whispering grew to an even louder, more fevered pitch that buzzed in Crystal's ears like a hive of bees intent on stinging her for stealing their honey.

Somewhere, reindeer snorted, and Crystal's gaze turned toward the sound. Prancer snorted again from where he stood by another reindeer with a glowing nose. Rudolph shook his head, his light shining even more brilliantly, and stomped his hoof against the floor.

"You shouldn't be here." The throng of Elves dressed in red and green jumpsuits and dresses parted to allow the speaker to come forward. Eyes that looked kindly upon every other being in the world bored into Crystal from behind spectacles, and she found that she felt once more like a misbehaving child underneath his stern gaze.

But she hadn't done anything wrong! It was Frostbite! It had always been Frostbite! She started to open her mouth to speak, but he spoke again before she could even get so much as one word out. "You should not be here, Crystal. You are forbidden to be here." He sighed, running a hand down his long, white beard. "But I suppose I should be surprised it took you this long to return again as you obviously have so little respect for us that you broke our rules even as a child."

He met her gaze, and his words chilled her. "You were always the only child that I could not reach, the only little girl who never deserved anything for Christmas."

"But, Santa," Crys exclaimed, forgetting all the words she'd practiced so many times before in dreaming, planning, and scheming of the moment that she might be granted another chance to talk sense into him, "it wasn't me! I didn't make it up! I swear I didn't!"

"You said the same over two hundred years ago, but you still have no proof."

"I have my word! Why is that not good enough! I am one of yours, Santa! Why can you not accept me and at least investigate it!" She started to step toward him but stopped when Rudolph and Prancer flanked him and the Elves nearly poured into the path between them.

"You are not one of mine, Crystal. You made that clear the day that you brought such absurd accusations against your uncle. David Frost is a good man, a Saint among men, and you would have us believe him to be a monster! No true North Polean is capable of such evil things as you claim that he has done, nor have the lies that you persistently spout! Now leave!"

"No!"

Kris Kringle's face went red, and the tip of his white beard curled upwards. "You dare defy me still, child? I have done all that I could for you -- "

"You have done nothing for me! None of you have! None of you ever believed me, ever once thought that I might be speaking the truth! You all side with him! Why, I do not know and I never will, but I have my rights!" Shocked gasps had sounded after each of her sentences after she'd cut Santa off but none more than with her last. "As a Cold Elemental, I have the right to call upon the North Wind to answer any question concerning my powers that I want to ask, and I am invoking that right _now_!"

"You are not a North Polean and therefore have no right to demand -- "

"Maybe I'm not a North Polean," Crystal returned, her blazing eyes meeting Santa Claus'. Maybe I'm a Piratess. "But I am still an Elemental, and unless the North Wind wishes to strip me of my powers as you did my ears and my home all those years ago, by the Fey law, he must answer my question!"

* * *

**Somewhere**

Zora and Kat had continued in silence for a while after their encounter with Hansel. It was Kat who finally spoke again as her emerald eyes shifted to question her young friend. "Anythin'?"

Zora shook her head, indicating that she'd not been able to pick up the scent trail of any of the four they searched for. She did not volunteer the information that her nose was feeding her, however. The four scents were all around them. She could smell them on the ones they passed, both conscious and unconscious, and she could even smell them on Kat and herself. She wasn't surprised that Connor's scent was on her own body nor that Ace's was all over Kat's. What didn't make sense was why they were on everybody else's and how Connor's scent was on Kat though they'd never met before.

Their scents were not the only smells that troubled Zora. Along with Connor's, Ace's, Vang's, Captain's, and even Sebastian's scents, there was another smell that was on everybody they'd passed as well as on their own bodies. It was a scent she could not place, a smell she had never encountered before, and yet it hung heavy on the air and on each person. Zora frowned, her forehead creasing as she digested all that her nose was telling her. Something was very, very wrong. "I'm going tiger," she stated, her wild, green eyes shifting over everything in her sight but Kat.

The redhead only nodded her response, and Zora knew that the Irish woman was lost in her own thoughts. She very easily guessed that they were about Ace and would not have been surprised to know that Kat was worried that she'd never be together again with her lover, that she'd never again taste his sweet, wild taste, that she'd never again hear the amusing tinkle of his laughter, or even that the last time he'd dropped his pants would be when he'd distracted the Piratesses.

Kat shook her head. She never should have allowed Ace to drop his pants in front of those bitches, but he _had_ been the perfect distraction. She'd been there to protect him then, and that wasn't why he wasn't here now. This was all because of that damned Demonic Elemental, Frostbite, and the little bitch that had run from him and right into their people. What was her name again? Crystal?

Kat growled as striped fur covered Zora's naked skin. She'd really like to get her hands on that little bitch. If she'd known the Elemental was after her, and that he was as powerful an evil as he was, how could she have brought him upon them? Kat felt she already knew: The bitch was a typical two-legger who only cared for her own bloody hide, and that was all there was to it. She didn't know how the woman had come to have the loyalty of a dragon, wolf, and lioness, but she'd been in for a surprise if she ever showed back up . . . She'd just better hope that Ace had made it, or Kat would take her very last breath . . .

* * *

**The North Pole**

No one had dared to speak as Santa Claus had dueled verbally with the only woman ever to be cast out of the North Pole. Several minutes had ticked by, and still no one had spoken a word. One particularly small Elf was even doing her best to hold in a sneeze. At last, however, the sneeze erupted, blowing her back into Dancer, who pranced away with a shake of antlers.

The scene had drawn several eyes to it, but still Santa and Crystal remained staring at each other, both set in their determination. After what seemed like an eternity, a voice spoke from behind the throng of Elves and reindeer. "It is all right, Nicholas. I will speak to her."

The gasping crowd parted to reveal a wizened old man who leaned on a cane for support. Crystal knew that the man didn't really need the cane; this image of his was all for show when he was feeling his age. When he was angry, however, hardly any one could stand up to him. The old, hunchbacked man hobbled through the crowd and came to a stop beside Santa. His eyes met hers, and in the wisdom of the ages that she could see reflected in his gaze, she hoped for an answer to one of the many questions that burned within her. "You may ask me one question, and I will answer. Then, however, you must leave."

Crystal nodded slowly. "Yes, sir."

"What is your question?"

Crystal's eyes again met those of the North Wind, and she once more picked carefully over her wording. "Is it possible for another Elemental, not yourself, to take my powers, and if it is, what would have to be done in order for that to happen?"

One of the Elves piped up. "That's two questions!" He was immediately shushed by the other Elves, whose long, pointed ears were quivering with excitement and fear.

"So it is," the North Wind agreed, "but I will answer all the same. It is possible, Crystal, for such to happen, but it would be requiring of a long, detailed ritual that can only be done once every two hundred years or so."

Santa's ears and beard were twisting as his eyes shifted constantly back and forth between Crystal and the North Wind. Crys noticed the look on his face and in his eyes but ignored him as she turned her full attention, or at least as much as she could manage as her heart still cried for the loved ones she'd been forced to leave behind, back to the North Wind. "Would the Elemental whose powers are being taken have to be alive?"

The North Wind hesitated. Santa's eyes widened, and his cheeks seemed a little less rosy. The same Elf who had piped up the last time spoke again. "Hey, that's three questions now!"

"I still have the right," Crys stated.

The North Wind nodded, and Crystal saw horror reflect on her cousin's face from where he had just entered the back of the room. The North Wind never turned around, and Crys' eyes shifted swiftly back to him, but still he knew. "Go back to work, Jack." Jack disappeared, but Crystal knew he was close.

The North Wind returned his attention to Crys. "You do have the right, but this is the last question I will answer. Then you must leave."

"I will."

A heartbeat of hesitation. "What's the answer?" Crystal barely dared to breathe. Everything hinged on this one answer, on the very next word out of the North Wind's mouth . . .

"Yes. The Elemental must be alive in order for the spell to work, but the Elemental will not live through the ritual." More gasps, including one from the paled St. Nick himself, followed, but Crystal ignored them all.

"Thank you," she told the North Wind, then turned and started to head out. She had her answer now and knew what she would have to do if it came down to it. She had one last thing she could try, however, and as Santa's Elves closed in behind her, placing their backs to her, and Crystal realized that, at long last, no one was looking at her any more, she slipped off . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

As Zora changed, Kat's musing mind turned to ponder Ace. Ace Ventura was certainly a mystery, a paradox she'd yet to figure out, but he was also the only man, other than her grandfather, to ever wriggle his way into her heart. She remembered now the first time she'd come face to face with him. They'd been in a pub, and she'd been minding her own business, quite rightly getting drunk on whiskey as it was the anniversary of her grandfather's passing. She realized now that she'd never found out what he'd been doing there that night -- or was it day? Regardless, he'd probably been there for a piece of ass. The guy certainly hadn't been a virgin.

She'd been getting very well lit when one of the several groups of men inside the tavern had grown even louder. They'd pissed her off, and the memory of their words as they discussed their kills still made her burn. She'd managed to refrain from making a scene until one of them had started carrying on about a beautiful buck he'd killed and then continued on to brag about the doe and fawn that he'd also bagged. That had been the final straw for Kat, and she'd thumped the tiny spark of a fireball she'd already been playing with at the hunters.

That spark had exploded into a fireball that had claimed all their lives, and as they'd been burning and the idiots in the tavern rushing about in panicked attempts to put out the fire, Kat had slipped out. She hadn't gone very far when she'd heard some one following her. She had turned, pounced on him, and had him pinned against a building before she ever got a good look at him.

She hadn't thought him to be cute at that initial meeting. In fact, he hadn't done a damn thing for her except to piss her off with that impish grin of his. She'd called him an idiot and many more things that she didn't care to remember now. What had pissed her off the most, however, had been when he'd told her that he'd seen what she had done, thought it was the neatest trick he'd ever witnessed, and asked her out. Kat sighed with regret as she'd recalled how she'd put her fist nearly straight through his skull for his remarks and informed him that she'd kill him if he ever told anybody.

She'd left him in a crumpled heap that night yet, somehow, he'd continued to pop up again and again in her life until, at long last, she'd discovered that he had been helping her out on several of her missions. Kat shook her head sadly. Typical Ace. He always acted the buffoon, yet he had the heart of a lion, with the whole animal world being his pride and she his Queen, and the courage of a mother bear protecting all the cubs of the world. And, of course, the sexual prowess of a rabbit.

Had she ever told Ace she loved him? The thought made Kat think even more seriously for several long minutes, and then she, at last, had to admit that, though she'd told him, she'd always done it at times or in ways that he wouldn't think she meant the words as deeply as she did. She hadn't wanted him to know how much she loved him, but now she couldn't help hurting at the thought that she might never get to tell him, that he might never know . . .

The familiar feel of a furry, purring body rubbing up against her ankles stopped Kat's thoughts cold. She looked down to find a ragged, tabby cat arching against her feet and purring deeply. "Captain!" she exclaimed, a smile breaking out. She picked up the tomcat and simultaneously hugged him while kissing the top of his head and checking his small, lithe body for signs of injury. Finding no serious marks, she murmured the language of cat love into his ear and kissed him again before helping him onto her shoulder. "Now if we can jest find Ace," she murmured, her smile disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

The tiger that stalked beside her gave a half-growl, and Kat realized that Zora must be lost in similar thoughts of Connor as she had just been of Ace. She wondered how her little sister had finally come to meet a guy who she was actually serious about. What must the boy be like to have earned such attention from Zora, who had gone through so many males and females since coming of sexual age that the mere thought alone would make Vang faint? Kat didn't know, but she hoped they'd find him alive and well and added Connor into her prayer when she mentally spoke another prayer to Bast asking for protection for Ace and Vang and assistance in finding them and their other animals and giving gratitude for reuniting her with Captain and Zora.

* * *

**Somewhere**

When the second blonde had at last wandered off after finishing vomiting, Roxanne had immediately returned her attention to her pets and the first blonde. The two blondes were as different as night and day in their choice of clothing -- the first wearing a low-cut dress without shoes of any kind while the injured was dressed in a simple, black outfit and boots --, and Roxanne could only hope that that difference would extend to their personalities and brains. She surely did not want to work so hard on saving this woman just to have her be as ignorant as the other one when she came around, but she also could not just leave her laying there. Had she been a male, perhaps, but as she were a female, with clearly no male to care for her that was worth his salt, it was up to Roxanne and her familiars to do so.

Now, as Sasha continued her diligent work on the blonde's injury, Roxanne waited, leaning across the blonde with her long, dark hair fallen to one side and her hands at the ready for when the bullet would pop out. Her brown eyes watched every move of Sasha's claw and paw, but her ears remained at the alert to the rest of their area. It was thus that she heard the sound of steps and sensed the stranger's arrival before he came to a stomping halt before them.

Roxanne slowly looked up from her patient, the muscles in her shoulders and back shifting like those of a big cat as she arched upwards. Her dark eyes traveled up from a pair of black boots over blue pants that fit muscular legs well. When her gaze reached the man's arms, she looked no further than his shoulder. He'd been shot in the shoulder, and blood was even now seeping through the fingers that covered the wound. "Take a seat," she told him curtly. "I'll be with you after I finish this one."

Had Roxanne not looked down but taken in the rest of the man's appearance, she would have known to be on her guard toward him. His strong jaw was set with anger, and his free hand was balled into a fist so tight that his knuckles were white. Blue eyes blazed down at the Latina from underneath wet, blonde bangs.

Roxanne had already returned her attention to her current patient when the man spoke in such a tone that her cats' spotted fur coats ruffled. Yasmine growled, and Sasha grred though not relinquishing her rapt attention on their patient. "The heck you will," the man told the females through gritted teeth. "Get your beast off my sister!"

At that, both jaguars growled, and Roxanne again looked up, her gaze even darker. She arched a brow at the blonde man, whose white face was tight with fury. "Beast?" she repeated, her low voice a contrast to her familiars' loud growls.

"You heard me!" Trent exclaimed, stepping closer to them and fighting off the dizziness that threatened to claim him.

"First of all, senor, do _not_ call my darling Sasha a beast. They are animals, true, but no animal is more a beast than a man." Roxanne's words clipped off angrily, but her expression remained calm though tightened with her own anger. "Secondly, we are trying to _help_ your sister . . . "

Roxanne's words broke off as Trent made a grab for the scruff of Sasha's neck. His grab was blocked by the back of Roxanne's hand. He snatched back his hand as the dark hold swirled around him. Closing his eyes for just a moment, he shook himself and struggled to regain composure. He reopened his eyes to find the Latina woman standing between him and Trina and Carlos, her jaguars surrounding Trina and growling. Trent's eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out which of the three Roxannes he saw was the real one so that he'd know which one to hit.

"Do not make me fight you." The Latina's words swirled around him and were no help in determining her position.

"Then call your beast off."

The three images of Roxanne blurred so badly that he was even unsure as to exactly how many he was seeing as she slapped him. Trent fell back from the blow even as Roxanne exclaimed, "My Sasha is no beast!"

Trent tenderly touched his cheek, and his head pounded as he glared at the three women before him. His whole body ached from the bullet wound in his shoulder and the fall he'd taken, but this woman was not going to listen to reason and he could not idly stand by and allow her animals to hurt his sister. Trent charged the three women, his fists swinging blindly as he hoped to connect with the right one . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Patience had never been one of Faith's many qualities, and as she lay on the hard, cold, stone floor, trying not to tremble and not to succumb to the pain and worry that plagued her mind, her patience grew ever shorter. What was keeping Dawson and Jack, and what had Salem so frightened to the point that he wouldn't even tell her about it? Was her boy truly all right, or was he trying to put off his own medical needs in his search to bring her a healer and save her? He'd best not be putting her before him if he was in too bad shape.

And where were the others, any way? Where was Katrina, always so quick and eager to heal, and Angel? And Lex? Had they made it through the last Hell to this new, dark place, or were they already gone? Had they never survived the attack in the first place?

If what Dawson had told her was true, and she did believe him, what had happened to her newly adopted family? If they had survived, what of their loved ones? What of Will and Clark and those damned fluff-pussed Princesses, Elizabeth and Cordelia? What about Tom and Celina and that ever-annoying Morph?

Where was Dawson? Where were Jack and Salem? As questions continued to bore on her mind, Faith grew tired of laying in wait. She had to find Dawson, Jack, and Salem and find out what was going on with them. She could hear fighting even now. That might be them, and they might need her help.

As Faith tried to move her injured leg, grunting between gritted teeth at the pain, a voice suddenly spoke just a few inches from her head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Shut the fuck up." Faith's eyes turned toward the voice, but she could see no one. "Who the Hell are you, any way?" she demanded of the unfamiliar voice.

"A friend," the timid voice replied cautiously.

"The Hell you are! Where are you! Who are you! You better show yourself, or I'll gut ya!"

"Temper, temper . . . They said you were a hot one, but I did not expect to find a lady so hostile . . . " The voice tisked, and she could tell from the sound of it that the speaker was moving even as she snapped back.

"I ain't no damn lady! What the fuck's wrong with you men that makes ya think that everything with tits's gotta be a lady!"

"My, my, what language!"

"I'll give ya some damn language . . . " Faith abruptly stopped speaking, however, as the speaker slid into her sight. She turned her head more to the side, her cheek pressing against stone and pain echoing through every cell of her body, so that she could get a more direct look at the little fellow and make certain she was truly looking at what she thought she was looking at. Her eyes shot wide, and her mouth began to gape just as wide. "You're a damn worm!"

"That I am."

Faith couldn't believe she was talking to a worm, but she wasn't about to let her shock show. "You better shut the Hell up and get your tiny ass moving before I eat you!"

Worm gawked at the loud-mouthed brunette. "E-Eat me?" His shaking voice seemed even tinier.

"Yeah, eat ya! Where's my tequila bottle?" As Faith's eyes swept around the area as though seeking her drink, Worm hurriedly slid off. Faith knew she didn't have any tequila, though she longed for it, and had instead been seeking some sign of Dawson, Jack, or Salem. As she laid her head back down, she sighed and thought to herself, They'd better hurry. This place's getting weirder every minute, and I'm not gonna wait here much longer!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Words swirled around her, but her mind was too fogged to be able to translate the words or even recognize the language that was being spoken. Her mind followed the familiar voice slowly, but as she realized that it was Kurt she heard and he was praying, she followed him more swiftly. Her eyes blinked open to find the blue-furred Demon praying over her, his head bowed and his three-fingered hands clutched together. Tears glistened on his furry cheeks, and she longed to reach up and wipe them away.

She started to move to do just that but stopped when she sensed movement. Her brown eyes darted around only to find Lockheed perched on the other side of her body and looking at her in great concern. She smiled tiredly at her dragon, but before she could speak to him, Lockheed's eyes darted upwards. His head remained stationary, however, and Kitty recognized the signal instantly.

She looked up just in time to see a hand reaching out for Kurt. Lockheed acted at the same time as his mistress, flying out of the way as Shadowcat sprang to life. She leapt over Kurt and met the stranger with a flying sidekick, her foot colliding hard with his chest and knocking him backwards onto the stone floor. Kitty landed on her feet between the man and Kurt. Her hands still balled into fists, Shadowcat warily watched the cloaked man for the tell-tale sign of his next attack.

* * *

**The North Pole**

She could feel the magic pulsating from it before she ever got near it. Crystal paused at the last bend around the haul and slowly peeked around it. Two Elves guarded the door to the room where its powerful magic was contained. These Elves were not the ordinary, short Elves that worked for Santa but were instead two Warrior Elves from the tribe in the forest. They had been specially trained for this duty since their childhood years and had been protecting this one room since long before Crystal was born.

Crys worked swiftly, concentrating on dropping their temperatures. The guard to the left saw her first, but before he could shout, she dropped their body temperatures the rest of the way and both Elves fell out, unconscious, onto the floor. Crystal ran on silent feet, turning the doorway to ice and melting it instead of fighting with the locks that were in place over it. Her family might be filled with Pirates, but she still had a long way to go before she could pick locks with the best of them and she had no time to waste today . . . or was it night? One never could be sure at the North Pole as it was almost always dark.

It took a second for Crystal's ice to adjust to the darkness of the room, but then she headed over to the solitary table and the magical object that sat on top of it. Her hands pressed against velvet as she took hold of the object. She'd only have a second once she opened it to retrieve what she was after and then run for the very second it opened, a bright light would spill from it and its owner would know that some one else had it in their possession.

Crystal closed her eyes, breathing shallowly. She had to concentrate for this to work, and even then, she wasn't sure if it would. She only knew that she had to try every avenue she possibly could in facing her uncle for the last time. She needed something to stop him, something that would really work to defeat Frostbite once and for all, and that need was what she focused on now.

With her mind intent on her need to find a way to stop Frostbite, a tool to do him in for good, Crystal opened the bag. A golden light spilled from it, engulfing the room and pouring out into the hallway. It was so bright that it might well have blinded Crys' untrained eyes had she not had them closed. Crystal took a deep breath and focused even harder on what she sought. Then, she put both hands into the bag, pulled out the first thing she came into contact with, and closed the bag.

Crystal opened her eyes and looked down at what she now held. Her ice blue eyes widened in surprise at the object. Of all the things she might have expected to pull out of the bag, never would she have thought it to be a book! There must be a spell in here, she thought. One to finally, truly defeat him.

She turned the book over, seeking a title in its worn leather, but had barely had a chance to look at the vaguely familiar symbol on its front cover when a pair of hands snatched it out of her grasp. "This does not belong to you, Crystal."

"I need it!"

The ancient Wizard rose an eyebrow at her. "Like you need to steal and lie? Like you need to tarnish the North Pole and all those who live here with your deceit?" Santa shook his head in great sadness and sighed deeply. "I truly am disappointed in you, Crystal." His voice and expression suddenly hardened. "Now leave."

She made a grab for the book. He intended to snatch it away from her, but her fingers managed to touch its leather binding. She snatched her own back when something burned her. She looked at Santa, trying to think of something to say that could possibly convince him, but she knew nothing would and that the book was lost to her for she could not fight Father Christmas. Shaking her head, Crys turned and ran.

Santa sighed again in the now-empty room. Reopening his bag, he put the book back inside its magical confines. "Return to whence ye came." His nose twitched, and the book vanished as the lid to the bag closed.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

**Somewhere**

Jack's startled gaze took in the rumpled sight of Albus Dumbledore. If he was in this awful place, they had a chance of getting out alive. He had turned, prepared to strike out at whoever had grabbed him, and was extremely relieved that he didn't have to. Then, with a sinking feeling in his heart, he remembered their last conversation. He had not even had a chance to talk to his people yet about Salem.

Would any of them willingly stand for Salem and his men? How had the time come so quickly, right upon the heels of their latest disaster? He did not even know how many of his people had survived their nightmarish battles with the Piratesses. He wondered if Albus could read his mind. He had to get help for Faith.

He looked down at the spot he had last seen Salem, realizing why the cat had been so frightened. The cat was no longer there. Salem already knew he was in trouble. With the finger upon Albus' lips, Jack knew he could not speak out in a loud voice, so in a voice that was barely audible, he whispered, "I need a healer. My sister is dying."

Knowing that he dared not speak lest he might be overheard, Albus kept Jack's gaze with a deeply serious look in his own eyes before slowly removing his finger from his lips. With his eyes never blinking or moving from Jack's, Albus reached into his robe and pulled out a wand. Then he waved his other hand at Jack, gesturing for him to lead the way.

Jack turned and hastily went back to where he had left Faith. He was relieved to see her laying where he had last seen her and that she did not seem to have attempted to move. He knew she had probably tried and was not able to. In a hushed voice, Jack told her, "I am coming, Faith. We'll help."

He reached her side, knelt down beside her, and gazed down worriedly into her face. She was so still he was afraid she was no longer with them. His hand touched her face gently. She had to still be with them. He could not imagine a world that did not have his very feisty sister in it, and he only hoped that Albus would be in time to return her to her normal self.

Faith's struggles to move after she'd scared the talking worm away from her had only succeeded in putting tightness in her aching muscles and seizing her up more. She'd given up as much as she could and had been waiting, in vain hope, for Dawson, Jack, and Salem to return since then. She'd felt Jack's approach before he reached her, but it took her a moment before she could reopen her eyes. She was so tired and in so much pain that at one time she would have told him to leave her, but now she did not speak a word of that. Instead, as her eyes reopened at his touch, her gaze shifted toward him and she smiled a weak half-smile. "I'm not dead yet, Birdboy," she told him with what was supposed to be a strong, jesting voice but came out so weakly that she could barely hear herself.

She caught movement behind Jack and turned her eyes to look in that direction. An old man with long, white hair and beard was swiftly following Jack. He carried a wand aloft, but it was the black robe that swirled all around him that Faith's gaze dropped to. She pulled back, her mind flashing back to the other robe that Judson had worn, the robe he'd worn most often when he'd taken her. It was all a swirl of black . . .

* * *

Salem ran. His heart pounding, he ran and leapt, twisting in and out of feet without bothering to take any notice of who was almost trampling him. He raced as though his paws had been given wings, as if his very life hung in the balance and all depended on his reaching his destination in time. He darted between Dawson's legs, almost causing the boy to fall, and kept running.

At last, what he sought came into his vision, and Salem redoubled his efforts. He ran even faster until he was near enough to jump, and then he sailed into the air like a black lightning bolt and landed onto a woman's stomach. He started in immediately, loudly calling her name, urgently kneading her fur, and persistently licking her face. "KATRINA," his panicked voice was almost a yell, "WAKE UP! KATRINA, WAKE UP! FAITH NEEDS YOU!"

I need you! he thought to himself. If any one would protect him, it would be Faith, but Salem could only hope she would. As he continued trying to awaken Katrina, he cast a nervous glance around for his men but could see none of them. Perhaps that was for the best. If they were there, they might well turn against him if they thought doing so would help them out in the long run. After all, had not the betrayal of one of his own men been what had cast him into this life of a fur coat, four legs, a tail, and whiskers in the first place? "KATRINA!"

Katrina shuddered and brushed at the paws. "Not now, Tom! I have a headache!" she moaned.

Salem's fur would have bristled more at Katrina's response if it had not already been out at its fullest. The voice that answered her was not her husband's but was instead the commanding tone of a world dictator. "Katrina Lewis, get yourself up this instant! Gods only know where your husband is, but Faith needs you _now_!"

His insistent voice brought Katrina's eyes instantly open. "What's wrong, Salem?" she asked. "What's wrong with Faith?" It was then that she heard another voice calling her name and recognized it as young Dawson Leery.

Oh, Gods! What had happened to her beloved Faith? She sat up, dashing the sleep from her eyes, and then crawled shakily to her feet. Her Faith needed her; she had to be there immediately! She now took the authoritative tone as she looked down at Salem. "Well?" she inquired.

"It's about time you got to your feet!" Salem barked in retortion. "She's dying! Come on!" Without waiting for a response, he took off again, once more darting through Dawson's legs on his way back to Faith now.

Twice, that dratted cat had almost knocked Dawson to his feet, but at least he had found Katrina, who now looked inquiringly at him! "What's wrong with Faith, Dawson, and where is she?"

"She's dying!" Dawson gasped out. "Judson almost killed her! It was just too much! I can't lose her, Katrina! I can't!" the frightened boy wailed even as he felt Katrina's arms give him a gentle hug.

"Lead me to her, Dawson. I can save her if I can reach her."

Grabbing Katrina's hand, Dawson ran, pulling her behind him back into the direction he had just come from. They had to reach Faith in time. If she died, his whole world would be black. He didn't think he could live without her, and even if he could, he didn't want to.

Katrina ran beside him, praying to Bast that they would reach her in time. They ran so fast that they almost fell over a huddled shape that knelt beside Faith. Oh my Goddess! Katrina thought as she took in the appearance of Faith. Who was this man who knelt beside her Faith, dressed all in black, and why was Faith pulling away from him?

Where the Devil was Jack! Then her nose told her that Jack was there somewhere. She moved to stand beside the man and was about to strike him away from Faith when she realized that Jack was trying to hold Faith down and that her vision had been blocked by the man. Why was Faith fighting so hard with her last ounces of strength? "Jack?" Katrina asked.

"Something has terrified Faith," Jack told her. "She must lay still so that the healing can begin."

"Who is this?" Katrina whispered in the same voice that Jack had used with her. She thought he must be afraid some one would overhear them and realize that they had weakness amongst them. Would they attack? Her green eyes wandered up the wall as far as they could reach but could see no one, but her keen ears picked up the sounds of others far above them. Who was up there? Were they in Hell, or was it just their Judgment Day?

It was then that she clearly saw the face of the man and knew that she did not know him. From the way Jack was trying to hold Faith down so that the man could administer to her, Katrina figured Jack knew him and that was good enough for her. She walked around to the other side of Faith and knelt down. "Little sister," she talked to Faith even as her hands touched her, "lay still so that we might heal you. Why do you pull away from this man? Do you know him?"

* * *

Salem had stopped, frozen in shock, when he'd managed to get near enough to Faith to see what was happening. The damned Wizard Albus Dumbledore had already reached her, and that fool of a Pirate Captain was trying to hold Faith down so that Albus could do whatever he was going to do to her! Salem's tail twitched as he watched the scene and deducted what had brought this about. Albus must have offered to heal Jack's people, a way to help win the others' trust, but Salem still did not trust the old goat as far as he could have shredded his robe. Clearly, from the way she was pulling away from him, Faith's instincts told her not to trust the man, too.

Salem cautiously approached on silent paws even as Faith struggled against both Jack and Katrina, who was now attempting to assist her Captain in holding the girl still, and grunted and grumbled something that was mostly incoherent. The one word he could make out was Judson. Was Faith losing her mind as she slipped closer to death's edge, or did she know not to trust Dumbledore but didn't know how to tell the others why she did not? Could it be that Jack and Katrina were even now frightening her, as they fought to hold her down? Salem came to a stop beside Dawson's legs.

One glance at the boy told Salem that the kid was also confused. Salem looked back at Faith. Out of all the Wizards, Albus would have come the closest to having his trust, but the simple fact was that they had all cursed him and that none of them could be trusted. For all he knew, Albus might well be trying to put a spell on Faith out of the knowledge that she might actually dare to stand up for him. A shudder ran through Salem at the thought that the Wizard might harm Faith in order to get to him. Of course, however, that would be right along their ways of thinking. Had they not cursed all of his men except the one who had betrayed him?

He had to get Dumbledore away from his Faith, but he could not let the others know exactly why it was so necessary. As always, Salem realized, he had to pick and choose his words. His cunning mind quickly running, Salem cleared his voice and spoke in a smooth, quiet tone. "Katrina, you can clearly see that Faith is afraid of this Wizard. Why allow him to heal her when you yourself can save her? Every second we waste trying to calm her is a second that brings her closer to Death."

Albus pulled away from Faith at Salem's words. His ancient eyes looked up at the catwoman through his half-moon spectacles. "Salem is right," he whispered. "I should not attempt when she fears me so but trusts you." He stood slowly and backed just as slowly away, a gesture that nearly made Salem's mouth drop open.

Dawson had made it to Faith's head and had been sitting, touching her gently, trying to calm her. He now leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Sweat was pouring from her body. "Sweetheart, I know you don't know us, but it's Jack, Katrina, and me. Salem's here, too. Judson's dead." He had understood what Faith had mumbled in her frantic attempt to be free. "Don't fight us. Let Katrina heal you." He continued to kiss her face gently.

Jack leaned forward just so Faith could hear him. He had been holding her down about mid-ways where he had her arms pinned to her sides. "Faith," he whispered, "that was only Albus. He wouldn't have hurt you. I realize you're confused, little firecracker, but you hang in there. We love you, and we need you back with us, so stop fighting us. That's an order," he told her, knowing that she never took a direct order, but for once, in her life, he figured she wasn't strong enough to do anything about it. He felt her tenseness and knew that if she did not relax, the healing would not work as well as it would if she did.

Katrina sat beside Faith, not touching her but concentrating on the healing. Her hands began to roam the length of Faith's body just above the skin so that she could find out everything that was broken. She winced at some of the things she found out and then, as Katrina's hands softly began to glow blue, she reached out and touched Faith and the healing began to flow from her into Faith's body.

Faith appeared to have calmed some as Albus had stepped away, but she was still trembling. Salem's gaze kept on Albus even as he walked around Jack. His eyes were hard, and a silent warning passed from his gaze to Albus. The damn Wizard had better not hurt his Faith!

He circled around the others until he could reach Faith's shoulder, an area that planted him between Dawson and Jack. There he began to gently rub his fur against her skin and purr to her. She had been right not to trust Albus, but now she needed to relax. His back arched against her and he continued rubbing against her and purring as the healing process began and he felt her begin to relax at last. He didn't know if it was Dawson's kisses, the others' words, his purrs, or some sort of combination of the lot that was working, but he was glad she was relaxing, whatever the cause. The entire time, however, his gaze remained pinned on Albus.

* * *

Angel felt some one angrily attacking him and could not, for the life of him, imagine who it could be nor could he seem to get completely awake. It was as though he lingered under a spell. Finally, he managed to open his eyes, and his mouth fell open as he gazed at the woman who was straddling him. Was it Helvira, Elvira, or Delvira? "Don't hit me again," he growled, his fangs flashing, even as he picked her up and tossed her off of him. "What is so important that you wake me from my slumber?"

"It's about damn time," Delvira snapped back at Angel, her own fangs flashing in response. Though he'd managed to throw her off of him, she had landed on her feet with relatively little ease. "As for what's so important for me to wake your Vamp ass, and to keep _me_ from going after _my husband_, I don't know," she retorted sarcastically. "Call me crazy, but I thought you might want to know that your sister's ran off!"

"But I had her!" he protested. "I knocked her out! How in the Hell did she manage to wake before me, and why was I so deeply asleep?" he asked the woman he now recognized as Delvira. "And just where in the Hell are we?"

"I'm not exactly sure where we are," she told him though she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her gut that warned of their location, "but it's not where we woke up. Crystal knocked you out. Oh, don't look so surprised! You should have known she was capable of it!"

"She's headed for the North Pole, and you also know why! As soon as we can find a way out of here, you and Lorne need to head out first. Don't wait for anything. When you get to the shore, there'll be a portal. It's waiting for you."

Angel shook his head groggily. "The last thing I remember was that I knocked Crys out. She fell to the deck, and then the whole world erupted. There seems to be a gap in my memory. What shore are you talking about? And you say there's a portal there? Just who the Hell opened the portal?" he looked at her angrily, figuring it was her the whole time. Why would she take a hand in helping Crys? What business was it of hers that Crys managed to run away?

He looked away from her, scanning the area to see if he could find Lorne or any of the others. He was glad to see that Lorne was not too far from him but surprised to see that all three of Crys' babies were laying near him and were still asleep. He never would have thought that Crys would leave without them and immediately realized her intentions upon seeing them.

He did not see Cordy anywhere. He hoped and prayed that she had made it, but fear grew in his heart that, maybe like his sister, she, too, was gone. Every one he had ever cared about, and even dared love, had been taken from him. Why should Cordy be any exception?

Delvira had seen the flash of accusation in Angel's eyes. "Yeah, it was me," she told him, "and if you want to fight over it, I'll just kick your butt until your brain decides to wake up! I could have left her alone, true, but if I had, she would have headed straight out for You-Know-Who! As it was, I helped her along to the North Pole, but not to him. She should have found herself right in front of Santa's whereabouts."

"As for your Princess, no, I haven't found her. I no more know where she is than I know where my Jareth is. And the shore was -- " Delvira's words broke off at a high-pitched scream. She looked in its direction but saw nothing. The scream continued, growing in pitch and volume, until something collided with her foot.

Angel's eyes went back to Delvira. "As I have just awoken, I do not know where your mate is," he told her. "I'm not going to look for Cordy. If you see her, you can tell her that Lorne and I have gone after Crys. I'd leave him behind, but he'd only wake up and follow and he's safer with me than he would be on his own."

"Can you send us from here back to the shore?" he asked her hopefully. It was at that moment that the high-pitched, screaming thing landed on Delvira's foot, and Angel looked downward only to be surprised at what he saw. "Is that a worm?" he asked.

"Yes, it's a worm," Delvira retorted as though the answer was obvious and Angel was insane for having to ask. She kicked her foot as she spoke, stopping Worm from climbing up her leg but not succeeding in knocking him from her foot. Raising her foot and bending down to reach it, Delvira plucked the little, purple worm from her foot.

Delvira had never seen Worm so terrified. He was shaking all over, and his trembles did not cease as her hand closed around his tiny body. Standing erect once more, Delvira lifted Worm to her level and gazed down at the little fellow. "Worm, what . . . ?"

She did not have a chance to get the rest of her question out, however, for Worm's eyes and mouth shot wide simultaneously. "You must hide me, Mistress! Please you must before she eats me!" With a scream, he pushed himself off of her pale hand and dropped to the only hiding place he could reach.

Delvira gasped and shuddered as Worm landed between her breasts. Her hand went into her cleavage after him. "Get out of there, Worm! I don't know what's frightened you," she exclaimed, gasping again as he left a slimy trail against her flesh, "but only the King goes in there!"

Angel had to put a hand over his mouth to suppress a laugh. Even in the midst of chaos, Jareth's subjects always made him laugh! How had it come to be that Jareth, who was not afraid of anything or any one, had subjects that were terrified of almost everything? When he heard that some one was trying to eat Worm, he could only think of one person: Faith, who was always inviting him to eat the worm in her tequila bottle! But not even she would mistake this one for one that came in a bottle . . . or would she? His eyes traveled the room, but he could not see her. He returned his attention to Delvira, trying very hard not to look at her cleavage.

"Why, you little . . . " Delvira gasped out. Her elbow was sticking out of the top of her dress now, and Angel was getting quite the show as she continued desperately trying to grab a hold of Worm. She felt the tip of his tail many times, but just before she could take a firm hold of him, Worm slipped out of her grasp every time. "_Worm!_" she thundered in warning.

A chuckle erupted nearby, and Jareth reached out, plucking Worm nimbly from Delvira with one hand and with the other hand, pulling his wife's dress back on. He noticed that Angel had adverted his eyes and not watched, and he appreciated that. "Darling, I am sorry that Worm went down forbidden territory. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation, isn't there, Worm?" he asked the little creature he now held on the flat of his palm. "Apologize to the Queen," he now ordered even as his free arm slipped around his wife's waist.

Relief had washed over Delvira the very second Jareth had spoken. She had tried hard not to fear for him too much while she had been struggling to awaken Angel, but it had been rather close to impossible as she had barely managed to save him and he had still been in such a weak condition when the ship had been overtaken by ice. Now, even as his arm slid around her waist, she wriggled against the sticky trail that Worm had left between and over her perky bosoms. She looked angrily at Worm, but before she could speak, he spoke again.

"I am sorry, Master," Worm squeaked in the same high-pitched tone, "but I had to hide! She was going to eat me!"

"Who was going to eat you, Worm? And do not apologize to me. Apologize to your mistress. Well, speak up!" he told the worm, who seemed to be choking on his words.

"I . . . I . . . She was the one I had been warned about, the, hum, the hard-assed one, sir! I did not mean to come across her, but she was there and she was trying to move when she really should not have been and no one else was there to discourage her from it and you did say to help Jack's people when and as possible! I honestly did not mean to come across her like that, nor did I think she would threaten to eat me!"

"And I am sorry for hiding in the Queen's bosoms, but it was the only safe place that I could think of! She is fast, you know! I've heard it said before to watch out for her for she'll have your butt before you know it was hanging out or some such! That Gnome told me that! Earl, Carl, or whatever his name is! But I did not mean to encounter her! I was merely looking for you, Your Majesty, and there she was! And -- And -- " Worm's tirade broke off as he gasped desperately for breath to fill his tiny lungs. He had still not stopped shaking.

"Worm, you shall be okay. Rest for a while. You'll be safe here," he told him even as he lifted the Worm and dropped him into one of his breast pockets. He stroked him gently before moving his finger away. "Rest for I may have need of you later."

He closed the pocket even as Worm was still talking about the girl going for a fork. Who ate worms? Jareth wondered, and the mere thought made him want to spit. Worm would not be tasty at all, and not even in his most desperate hour, would Jareth contemplate eating him. He did not like crunchy things and could imagine nothing crunchier than trying to chew Worm.

"Actually, I imagine he'd be rather stringy, though the bones would be crunchy . . . What little he does have . . . Still . . . " Delvira shuddered.

"Never in a million years," Jareth vowed to which Delvira nodded. "Do you know where we are, beloved?" Jareth asked. "It is the next thing to Hell. We may not make it out of here. Those of us . . . " His voice trailed off, and he did not finish.

Delvira turned to face her husband, all traces of humor gone from her voice and face. She was as solemn now as though some one had just read her King's death sentence. Her deep, black eyes gazed into Jareth's eyes, and she could see the fear hidden within his owl-like gaze. "I was afraid of that," she told him, "but if they want to take you, they will have a war on their hands."

"I fear my leaving the Labyrinth has really griped them off, and of course, James leaving Neverland didn't help matters. Alas, Judgment Day has arrived again! If they take me, it will be beyond your power to fight. You must think of yourself and our people." He hugged her to him, his face burrowing into her hair, and he drank deeply of her scent. His body trembled at the thought of being torn from her.

"Our people became our people only because they cast you into that awful place, but even they would say what I believe. You come first, my love, and no power in Heaven or Hell can strip me from your side as long as I exist." She arched into him, holding him while he held her, and stroking his spiky, blonde hair. As her fingers caressed him, Delvira realized that even now, in the midst of this chaotic Hell, Jareth had taken the time to clean himself up and even redo his hair.

Angel withdrew from the couple. He had heard their exchange of words, and his mind began to wonder. Judgement Day? Then why are all of us here? Have we been killed? But that could not be for, if that had been, why would Delvira have taken the time to awaken him, and why was there a chance that he could go through the portal to get to Crys?

"I hate to interrupt you two, but where are we? What's happening? Thank you for waking me, Delvira, but can you send us to the shore so that we can go through the portal? Can you take all of us out of here?" was his next question.

Delvira pressed a kiss against Jareth's hair, letting him know that she would answer Angel and he needn't worry about it. Her eyes reopened, and she looked at Angel, her tears clearly shining in her black eyes though she had not allowed a single one to drop. "No one can teleport from this place," she told him. "All those who are here are here until they decide to release us. They may do it one at a time, a few at a time, or condemn us all at once. I don't know how they'll work it, and it will mostly depend on their mood."

"Who are they?" Angel asked, realizing that both Jareth and Delvira were extremely afraid and trying hard not to show it. "This isn't Hell," Angel told them. "I've been there a couple of times. So where is here?"

"There are worse Hells than Hell itself," Delvira informed him. "This . . . We are in court, Angel, and they . . . " Her eyes turned upwards to where she could even now hear the whispering of many voices that grated her nerves and made her want to scream out at them and kill them all. "They are the Council."

"Why do they have power over us?" Angel asked. "I've never done anything against them nor met any of them. Why are they holding us?"

"They have power over all of those who have a role in the Supernatural world. Vampires, Witches, Sorceresses, Sorcerers, Demons, Weres . . . Any one who has even a drop of magical blood or who practices magic must answer to them."

"Then they want us because of the Piratesses? Or could it be something else?" he questioned, looking into Delvira's eyes and knowing that she would tell him the truth as far as she knew it.

Delvira allowed herself a moment to place her face against her husband's neck and draw an unneeded breath before looking back at Angel. "They brought us all here for a . . . " She paused, knowing what she was about to say was something that not even Jareth knew yet. " . . . for a retrial. _The_ retrial of Salem Saberhagen and all of those who followed him."

"How do you know that?" Angel queried, confusion plainly showing in his face. "It looks like they brought all of us, and most of us don't have anything to do with Salem in his past trial. Most of us have only recently met him. So why do they need us?"

Delvira knew Jareth was also listening for her answers. "Do you remember when Shadowcat said that two Wizards showed up and saved Kurt and Autolycus? Those two Wizards are amongst their number, and they appeared to those of us who were left behind by the Piratesses. Although our peoples barely know each other, the Wizards had hatched a plan that they hoped would work. You, and your people, will be called upon shortly, or in a long time -- you never really can tell with these idiots -- , and given the opportunity to stand for Salem, Jareth, and the rest of their number."

"Stand? What do you mean by stand?" Angel asked. "You say that they are going to retrial them? They have done nothing wrong, not that I know about!"

"They felt that their attempt to take over the world before should condemn them all for the rest of eternity. That is why Salem was transformed into a cat and how Jareth came to be in the Labyrinth and James and Smee in Neverland." She shook her head sadly. "One attempt to take over the world, and they condemned them for all time! I still say the world would be better off if they had succeeded!"

"That hardly seems fair!" Angel told her. "Who gave them the right to condemn them forever? One mistake should not be a death sentence! What's your plan? I'll wake Lorne, and we'll help you in it."

"You may not be able to," Delvira hated to tell Angel but knew she must be honest with him. "You know your sister is in the North Pole, and you know why. Every second spent in here is another second that she draws closer to him."

"It's not like we're going to get out of here unless we do come up with a plan," Angel replied. "Maybe Lorne can figure out something? I'm going to wake him up." Angel moved slowly to where Lorne lay on the floor and began to wake up his friend.

His mind traveled back over everything Delvira had told him, and as Lorne gasped and sat up, Angel knew that they had to get to Crys, but in order to get to Crys, they had to get out of this Hellhole. He began to tell Lorne what was going on, starting with the worst of it first.

The first thing Lorne heard was that Crys was gone, and his heart turned over in his left buttcheek. He felt it break into a million pieces. Then he saw Crys' babies, who were now slowly beginning to wake up. Not only had Crys left him and Angel, but she had left them, as well, and Lorne became terrified. "She means to die, Angel! She plans to take the son-of-a-bitch out!"

"I know," Angel told him even as he gripped his friend's shoulder. "We have to reach her first, but in order to get there, we have to get out of here."

"Where is here?" Lorne asked. Angel then began to fill Lorne in on all the details.

* * *

Donkey stirred and slowly opened his eyes. "Oh, man! What was I drinking last night?" he asked himself as his head swirled round and round. He got groggily to his hooves and shook himself off.

"Where's Elizabeth?" he asked himself. "It's so dark here! There could be ghosts in here!" he thought to himself and felt his hair bristle. "Where's my Will, and where's that stupid Captain?"

He took a tentative step forward and heard something making a scratching noise. His eyes grew wide and terrified. "Gotta find my Will! He can handle it!" He took another step forward and again heard a scratching noise. His wild eyes darted around, but he could see nothing moving in his direction.

Without light, he could not make out any one clearly. Will had to be here somewhere! He could find Will and then let Will find Elizabeth, or failing that, he could find Jack and let Jack solve everything! After all, the Captain did think he could do everything better than anybody else! He chuffed and took another step forward.

Again, the noise came to his quivering ears! "Holy shit! There's ghosts in here!" His voice quivered as he exclaimed, and then he clamped his mouth shut at the thought that the ghosts might overhear him and come after him. He tried to tip-toe, and his tail hung limply between his legs.

WILL! he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. Where was his boy! He'd save him! He whirled slowly around, his eyes ever larger, but he could see nothing. Every hair on his body stood straight out.

It was going to get him! He wasn't going to find Will! He wasn't going to make it! He couldn't even find the damn Captain! Rising panic almost choked him, and then something reached for his tail! With a screech, Donkey raced across the room, running as though his very life depended on it, which he fully believed it did . . .

* * *

Sean crept across the floor on all fours. He knew where he was, and he did not want to draw attention to himself. He had to find Emma. He began to pray to Aphrodite, something he was getting more back into the habit of doing. Help me find Em, an' help me be able tae get us out o' here. I'll di anythin' Ye want me tae! Jest get us out o' here safely! Let Em be okay, an' let her remember me!

In the semi-darkness of the room, Sean barely missed crawling over people, desperately seeking his Emma. The room was filled with the sound of screeching, which reaffirmed for Sean that he was in Hell. In Hell, Emma would not be found. After all, she was an Angel. Where would she be? His mind pondered this even as his body continued to crawl, and then something flew by in front of him so fast that the outward blowing winds knocked him to the floor.

He heard screams and howls from others who were being stepped on by whatever was fleeing for its life. Where were the Demons? he wondered as his eyes darted back along the trail of the fleeing beast. They're lurkin' in here somewhere! If they have Emma, I'll rip them apart limb from limb!

It was then that his nose caught the smell of his beloved, and he moved forward to find her and gather her close to him. He tried desperately to awaken her, but although he could tell that she was alive from the sound of her soft breathing, he could not awaken her. She must be under a spell, he thought and continued to hold her and rock her, hoping that some genius would soon turn on a lantern.

* * *

Screams and indignant yells filled the room as Donkey fled across it. "GET OFF OF ME, YOU FOUL BEAST!" a voice yelled at him, but Donkey ignored them all in his efforts to get to Will and safety. He paid no attention to any one who was unlucky enough to get stepped on. Let the Demon get them! he thought as he recognized Autolycus and Joxer and managed to step on both of them. It had been Autolycus who had yelled at him, and Donkey did not bother to answer him, just kept running.

Joxer sat up slowly. "Damn animal! I think he broke my hand!"

"Nah, it ain't broke," Autolycus told him. "Just hurts like Hell. He got my leg. Need a little intensive care here. Elizabeth?" he called hopefully.

"Phoebe?" Joxer asked the dark room.

* * *

Xena heard something running. She had just awoken and did not know what the Hell was going on. She saw Gabrielle, who was laying in the main path of the fleeing animal, and threw herself at her beloved, grabbing her and rolling her neatly out of the path. "WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU, DONKEY!" Xena hollered after him.

"DEMON!" Donkey returned and never slowed down.

Xena then began to try to awake Gabrielle, gently running her hands down her face and then her arms, making sure that her beloved was not hurt. As she checked Gabrielle over and tried to awaken her, she remained constantly at the alert for the so-called Demon . . . but never realized that her chakram was missing.

* * *

Ray was having trouble processing. Something seemed to be wrong with one of his processors, and its output was very little. "Mouse?" he mumbled her name, hoping she was not far from him.

His mind wandered back over what he had seen earlier, and he marveled at his beloved's powers. How had she managed to keep them hidden all this time? He had never seen her in all her glorious abilities until this night. Why had she not revealed herself to him? "Mouse?" his trembly voice called her name again. He tried to move but was unable to.

* * *

Brown eyes flashed open and a new mouth cursed Donkey as Eddie flew over yet another sleeping Pirate. "YOU DAMN JACKASS!" the man thundered, reaching immediately for his gun. "I'LL SHOOT YA! KAT MIGHT FRY MY ASS, BUT I'M GONNA SHOOT YA ANY DAMN WAY!"

Bishop's hand had closed around his gun, but he could not seem to get it off of the floor. Somehow, it was heavier than it should have been, and no matter how hard he jerked it, he still could not manage to lift it. "DAMN IT!" he yelled, snatching at his gun again. "WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON!"

A sleepy voice murmured something in Chinese even as Donkey kept running. Donkey never looked back, and Bishop knew his chance to shoot the ass was gone. His ribs hurt where the beast had ran over him, but his puzzlement won out as, with a great deal of effort, he turned onto his side.

Bishop tried once more to lift his gun, but his hand froze along with the rest of his body as he looked at the object he held. Only now did his weary mind realize that the texture of the object was vastly different from the hard metal of his weapon. His mouth fell open, but his hand seemed frozen to the spot. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. All he could do was stare.

He did stare. He stared at what he held writhing in his hand with even greater shock than if it had been a live snake. He stared until his eyes were beginning to bug out of his head. He stared even as Chinese words fluttered over his ears. He stared until another pair of brown eyes opened.

Chong turned to look at Bishop, a sleepy smile crossing over his lips. "Hello to you too, big boy," the Chinese man purred. "I was hoping you'd . . . "

His words were drowned out, however, as Bishop's shock finally made its way through his mouth. He thundered out an unintelligible yell and dropped Chong's member as though it were poison to his touch. Bishop couldn't speak nor even meet Chong's eyes. He jumped to his feet, his pain forgotten, and ran from his own Demon as quickly as Donkey had fled his.

Chong sighed and leaned back against the floor, his full lips pouting. "Damn! I thought I had him . . . " Then he heard Hansel crying for Derek, and Chong turned to look in the direction of his ex-lover. The sight of the blonde man doubled over and crying tore at Chong's heart, and he immediately scrabbled to his feet and headed over. He didn't know what he was going to do to help the man who he couldn't help thinking of as his poor baby, but he had to do something . . .

* * *

Familiar, masculine voices had began to lead her mind back toward consciousness, but it was Donkey's screams that snapped Elvira awake. The wolf instantly sat up at attention, her ears perked upwards in Donkey's direction and her thick fur already standing on end. She saw him running but had not yet spotted what he was fleeing from when she heard her brother coo questioningly and her feline sister growl from her other side. Their questions brought her memories from a short time before flooding back, and as pain filled her heart, Elvira threw back her head in a long howl.

Elvira's howl stopped Cindy and Blue in mid-question. The dragon and lioness shared a look, their disbelief and shock mirrored in each other's eyes. She couldn't have left them! Not now! Not after all they'd been through! Not after having just escaped him again! She couldn't have!

But they knew she had for Elvira would not lie and Blue realized that Angel also would not. It took a moment for their shock to pass enough that they could react, and then their voices added to the chaos that was building all throughout the room.

* * *

She awoke to screams, wails, howls, and roars from a dozen different voices that seemed to be familiar and all around her yet that she could not recognize. As their voices rattled her ears, she felt bodies pressing down against her, and she realized that she was covered, pinned to the floor by still, cold bodies. A scream split from her own lips, and her arms and winds thrust upwards, knocking bodies off of her and causing more screams.

Ororo's fists and feet flew, striking against all those who had lain on top of her. Many familiar voices met her ears, but her mind recognized none of them as she flew upwards, screaming at the top of her lungs. Thunder and lightning filled the room. Rain began to pour, and winds howled.

"AUNT ORORO!" a voice called from below. "AUNTIE 'RO, IT'S JUST ME!" She knew she was not alone but realized that the others were not enemies, and that her godmother was too far gone in her fear to take any notice of their names. She only hoped that hearing her voice would calm her, but 'Ro seemed to not even hear her as she continued screaming and flying upward.

* * *

Wolverine heard the screams and jumped to his feet immediately. He realized that his claws had returned, and he was ready to slash anything that was attacking 'Ro. "'RO," he yelled, "WHERE ARE YA!" He was almost hit by a lightning bolt. Rolling out of the way, he regained his feet and, gazing upward, saw his beloved.

Once again, she was locked inside her own little world, her hair sticking straight out and lightning bolts ripping out of her body and ricocheting around the room. He had no idea how to get up there, and his small body began to jump frantically upward. He wished, for about the millionth time, that he could fly. It would be the only way he could reach 'Ro.

"'RO, DARLIN', IT'S ME! I'M DOWN HERE!" he called to her, hoping she would hear him. At the same time, he warned the others, "AVAST! THERE BE LIGHTNIN' BOLTS IN THE ROOM!" Some of the terrified others in the room were scampering to get out of the way of the bolts.

He had to turn to keep from being hit by Jasmine, who was running as fast as her legs could carry her and screaming. "IT'S RAINING INSIDE! IT'S RAINING INSIDE! IT'S RAINING INSIDE!"

A startled Wesley reached up and snatched Jasmine as she ran by, trying to pull the girl down to the relative safety of the floor. It wasn't much, but at least she was not making a standing target. "Hush, Jasmine," he told her. "It's only 'Ro, and she's very upset. Don't you see the lightning and hear the thunder?"

Jasmine nodded against Wesley's shoulder. "Y-Yes, but I'm upset too and you don't see me throwing lightning bolts!" Her eyes then grew very big as she stared at Wesley.

"Can you throw lightning bolts?" Wesley asked her very seriously, wondering why she was staring at him so hard.

"I-I never tried," Jasmine whispered, her wet hair plastered to her shocked face. "W-We-Wes?"

"Yes? What is it?" He wondered why Jasmine was acting so strange and why his stomach was hurting so much.

"When did you get fat?"

"I'm not fat!" Wesley told her. "What makes you think I am?"

Jasmine nodded very slowly and in all seriousness. She pointed at Wesley's stomach with a quivering finger. "You are too. Look."

Wesley followed the shaking finger and looked at his stomach. "What the Hell's in there?" he wondered aloud.

He ignored Jasmine's obvious answer. "Your stomach."

"I've heard of being bloated by retaining too much excrement, but this is ridiculous! I'll have to see a doctor at once!" He looked around for Brendan.

Jasmine shook her head. "You don't need a doctor. You need a diet!"

"Jasmine, shut up for once!" Wesley told her. "I am not fat, just bloated, and Brendan can give me something to get rid of it!"

"Yeah, right!" Jasmine retorted, still staring at Wesley's round stomach.

* * *

Shadowcat's tightened shoulders shook with ragged breath as she stared down at the man who had almost attacked Kurt. His hood still covered his face, but as he reached up and took off his hood with one hand, Kitty stared, her mouth agape and her eyes wide. She had barely had time to register her mistake when, amongst all the screams, howls, roars, winds, thunder, and lightning that filled the room, a voice thundered out, drowning out all else.

"ENOUGH!" a man yelled from above all of them. Torches suddenly flared up in the walls that circled the location of the Pirates, lighting the area and revealing that it was not a room but instead a hole. "WE SEND OUR OWN DOWN THERE TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO HEAL YOUR PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE _ATTACKED_!"

Oh crap! Kitty thought.

She heard a weak voice in her head just then. Kitty, what did you do?

I kicked Charles.

_What!_

Xavier. I attacked him. I thought he was about to attack Kurt, and I attacked him before he could.

Where are we?

I don't know. Kitty's brown eyes looked up, up, UP into the faces of the beings who sneered down upon them. Most of them had human enough appearances, but there was a woman with horns and a green-clad boy who hovered impatiently in the air. All that she could see except for the two in the air were dressed in solid black attire and wore stern expressions. I don't know, but I'd say we just stepped out of the frying pan . . .

And into the fire, the voice in her head agreed.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

**Somewhere**

Trent's punch went wild as the torches flared up all around the room. He stumbled and almost fell but caught himself just in time. His aching shoulders shook as he pulled himself upright. Calling upon every ounce of strength he had left, he swung out a second time.

Roxanne did not pull away from Trent's blow. She knew the weak man would not be able to make contact with her for his aim was just far enough off to her left to miss her entirely, but what she had not expected was for a screaming, dark blur to come sailing into him. Hooves and boots skidded across the floor as the braying animal knocked into the blonde man and carried both away from her.

* * *

Joseph had awakened to something heavy thundering over him. He had yelled out and had attempted to push the heavy creature away, but Donkey had already left. As Joseph lay on the stone floor, his blue eyes looking up at the observation booth where many ugly faces stared back down at him, he could think only of Rogue.

He had failed her. When his beautiful, beloved Rogue had needed him the most, he had failed her. Self-hatred burned in his heart even as he prayed for her survival. He begged the Gods to let her live, to take him instead if they must have a death, but to let her live, no matter what, even if she hated him, which she had every right to do for he had failed her so miserably . . .

* * *

Rogue stirred, and her green eyes popped open. The first thing she saw was a girl who she recognized as being one of Jack's crew kneeling not too far from her. She sat all alone and very still, and her eyes intently gazed before her at something that was hidden in the shadows. When the torches flickered on, she recognized a Werewolf who was also not moving. He sat and stared intently back at the woman. What the Hell? Rogue thought as she sat up, watching the two.

And where was Joseph? She hoped her beloved was alive. She stood and looked but did not see him. However, she did see a white-haired woman hovering in the air, throwing out lightning bolts, winds, and rain. No wonder Ah'm wet! she thought and swiped angrily at her hair. She looked around, amazed that only part of the room had rain falling into it.

She looked back at the wolfman and the girl and saw that they were not wet. They seemed to be in a stupor, just staring at each other. She had once seen another couple do that, and a stray tear slipped down as she recalled that now that other couple was dead. She missed her friend, Willow, already and wondered if Kennedy was yet alive.

She shook her head, and again her thoughts went back on Joseph. She knew he'd be pissed at her when he awoke. After all, she had knocked him out and kept him out of the battle, and alas, she had failed in that battle! She would have flown upward, but she did not want to draw attention to herself by whatever was at the top of the room. She knew something was up there, and she did not get a good feeling from it.

She began to walk aimlessly through the room, searching for Joseph, and was barely missed by a sliding donkey dragging a man with him. She heard crying and continued to walk forward toward the sound. When she reached the girl that was crying, she recognized Kennedy, and she knelt down beside her.

"Kenn?" she whispered, waiting for the girl to acknowledge her presence but fearing that she was too lost in grief. She reached out and lifted Kenn's chin. "Ah'm sorry, Kenn. Ah'm so sorry! Ah failed every one!" Her own tears began to slide down her face, and she moved closer to put her arms around Kennedy.

Kennedy responded to Rogue's words even as she collapsed into her embrace. "¡Usted falló nadie! ¡La fallé! ¡Fallé el sauce! ¡Ella es muerta! ¡Mi sauce muerto!" Her tears fell so numerously that they were already beginning to soak Rogue's hair even more.

Rogue did her best to comfort her friend. Even though she didn't know what she said, she guessed that Kennedy was blaming herself for Willow, as well.

* * *

For the life of him, Donkey could not stop sliding. He had just picked up too much momentum in his run, and when the lights had flickered on, his back hooves had gone out from under him and he had begun to slide. The impact from the fall had simply taken his breath away from him, and he had not been able to call out a warning to the man who he now had gripped in his front legs. He could see the wall looming, and he knew he would soon be hitting it. He hoped it would not break his legs or hurt the man any further.

Roxanne sighed and murmured in Spanish. "Bien, por lo menos eso soluciona eso." She glanced upward at the angry beings, one of which had already yelled at herself and the rest of the prisoners. She still had no idea who they were, but she knew that they could not be trusted and felt certain that an attack would soon come. "Yasmine, stay on the alert," she directed.

"Sasha, how are we coming?" She leaned back over the injured woman to check on her pet's progress with the bullet. Sasha growled in answer and proceeded to dig through the woman's injured arm with her claw. The little piece of metal was certainly slippery, but she'd get it. Her spotted tail twitched with determination.

* * *

Piper awoke the second time to yells of her godmother and younger sister. She felt a heavy weight on her before her eyes opened and knew instinctively that it was Cole. Her eyes opened to find him laying on top of her, still unconscious. She turned her head and looked out to see what was happening.

Lightning bolts flashed across the room, narrowly missing striking several Pirates, some of whom she recognized and others whom she did not. Winds howled, ripping through the area and tearing at clothes and bodies alike. One group in particular that she could see seemed barely able to hold on to the stone floor, and indeed, even as Piper watched, her aunt's winds snatched up the crab who had bravely been using his body to protect two white tiger cubs. The first cub followed swiftly, but the second was caught by a brown and white cat who held her down underneath his own body. Piper winced as the winds grabbed the cat and second cub up and sent them sailing, as well. She tried to raise her hands to freeze them so that they would not be whipped around the room but found her arms pinned to her sides by Cole's weight.

Her brown eyes traveled the room in search of Ororo, who was continuing to scream, and Paige, whose voice she could barely hear as she persisted in trying to talk their godmother down. It was only then that the realization that she could see so much that was happening occurred to Piper. Thank the Gods, the spell had worked, and she had her vision back again! As quickly as that relieving fact struck her, dismay also hit her. She had her eyes back, but they were also caught up in yet another life-threatening crisis that was as far from "normal" as could be . . . Piper groaned. If she'd known that being a Witch would bring so many insane situations to her family's doors, she would have tried to convince her sisters to let their family's religion die with their mother and grandmother.

As soon as that thought struck her, Piper winced again. What kind of daughter was she to think such thoughts! Her mother's and grandmother's belief in what they were had been what had caused their deaths, but they had believed so strongly that they had knowingly accepted their deaths. At least, no one was trying to kill her because of her Witchcraft . . . yet.

Piper's dismal thoughts ceased as she caught sight of Paige. Rain pelted her sister's face and winds tore at her already-ripped dress, but still her little sister stayed standing, blocking the rain from her eyes as best she could with her hand and yelling at the top of her lungs to try to calm their godmother. Unfortunately, Piper realized as her gaze followed Paige's, Ororo seemed as likely to actually hear Paige as sanity was to return to her life.

Knowing that talking to Ororo would do no more good than Paige's attempt and that she could not freeze her godmother until she could move her hands, Piper turned to awakening Cole. "Cole?" she began to call to him. "Cole, baby, wake up." She wriggled beneath him but could not shake him. "Cole? Cole, wake up, sweetheart."

* * *

Paige was not the only one looking up at Ororo. Two other young women stood near her, their hair and clothing stuck to their bodies. The brunette had stopped staring up at the Weather Witch and had instead began to look around the now-lit room for her beloved. She had every faith that he would know how to handle Ororo, or at least find a way to be safe from her storm, but she could not see him anywhere in the throng of bodies that filled the cell.

The blonde, who stood beside the brunette and a few feet behind the redhead, was also looking around. Her eyes scanned for not one man but three, and she also looked around for something that could be used as a weapon or for shelter. Alas, she could find nothing that she was looking for.

The brunette had just started to realize that she was going to have to come up with an answer instead of relying on her hero to come save her and the other women when thunder roared through the air again. A flash of brilliant light streaked for them, and in a split second, she realized that the bolt was seconds away from striking the blonde. She whirled and leapt, throwing the blonde to the floor just in time for the lightning bolt to pass directly over their heads. It was so near that both women's long hair stuck out from their heads as though it had been fried and Paige screamed.

"A-A-A-A-A-A-AUNTIE 'RO," Paige could barely manage to talk even after seeing that her companions still lived. "AUNTIE 'RO, YOU'VE GOT TO STOP THAT! YOU'RE GOING TO HIT SOMEBODY! LISTEN TO ME! IT'S JUST ME, JUST PAIGE!" Tears stung her eyes. "CAN'T YOU HEAR ME? CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND ME! AUNTIE 'RO, IT'S JUST ME, AND I LOVE YOU! COME DOWN PLEASE!"

"S-Sh-She's n-no-t g-g-go-going t-to h-he-hear y-you," the brunette's voice trembled and she had to fight her fear down just to speak.

"What else can I do!" Paige demanded, sending a glare at the brunette. "It's not like I have my sisters' powers! I can't freeze her, and I can't telekinetically throw her or anything! Wait." Paige paused. "I could ask for her. That might bring her down here. Oro -- "

The blonde's shaking voice stopped Paige just before she could call for her godmother. "Stop! That might not be a good idea."

As the brunette and redhead turned to look at the blonde and ask why not, their words froze on their tongues and both stared at the blonde instead. "E-Elizabeth," Cordelia finally asked upon finding her voice again, "what happened to your clothes?"

"What do you mean what happened to my clothes?" Elizabeth looked down at herself as Cordelia got up off of her. Her mouth fell open at first at what she saw, but then she screeched. Some one had stolen her dress and left her in nothing but her undergarments! Her arms quickly crossed over herself, but she knew she couldn't stay hiding without something to cover herself with. Where was Will now? she wondered. Now when she most needed his gentlemanly manners and a coat?

* * *

As the torches flared up all around him, shining light on his predicament, Smee realized that he was indeed in Hell. It wasn't Hell as most people thought of it, but there was no surer Hell to Smee except for a world where James no longer loved him and that was a world he was already in regardless. He shook even more, quivering like a bowl full of jelly, as he looked up. His glasses were gone, lost Gods only knew where, and he had to squint to look around. Still, he could not see them, but he knew they were there.

He knew this place. It was the place of his nightmares. It was his own Hell and the Hell that predated his worst Hell. This place was the place where he had been condemned, cursed with a curse that had come to fruition this very night when he had lost his beloved James at last. He'd known it would come, but with each passing day, he had hoped that it would not. He had prayed that what he knew would happen would never happen every morning he got up and every night he went to bed.

He would have given anything and everything to keep James' love, but he had lost that chance in the very bowels of this Hell. They had stripped him centuries ago of every reason that James had to fall for him, and he had always known that his heart alone would never be enough to keep James' love. Now that the worst had finally happened, they had come for him . . . But there was nothing more they could do.

And so, as a familiar voice yelled out, Smee shot back. "AND JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO TO ME! YOU ALREADY SCREWED ME OVER!" he yelled, never dreaming that his boys were near, let alone near enough to hear his foul language. "YOU CURSED ME THAT DAY TO LOSE MY JAMES, AND WITHOUT HIS LOVE, I HAVE NO REASON TO LIVE! JUST GO AHEAD AND DO ME IN!"

He could have guessed his answer before it came, but he didn't bother nor did he retort as the long-haired man yelled down at him. "BE QUIET, SAMUEL SMEE! YOUR TIME WILL COME! AND AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE!"

Smee did not waste further words. He only sat and continued to shake and cry. As Hansel and Kennedy grieved for their lovers, Smee grieved for James. James might still live. Smee didn't even know. It didn't really matter, though he wished nothing but the best for James.

That thought was what made him remember something else, a thought that had first occurred to him all those years ago in this very Hellhole. I can't blame him for no longer loving me, he thought. After all, he deserves nothing but the best, and look at me! More long tears dripped off of his round, red nose. I'm the worst! His sobs shook his shoulders and stomach, and he didn't even realize when his small, striped shirt popped off of his belly and rolled up his chest. He only continued to cry and wait for whatever new punishment the gatekeepers to his Hell decided to cast upon him.

It didn't matter what they did to him now. Nothing could be worst than what they had already caused. He hoped they'd kill him and would have even prayed for death had he thought any deity would care enough to listen to his prayer, but he knew two things the whole while: No one was foolish or desperate enough to care about an old, fat fool, and he would not be lucky enough to draw a death penalty.

* * *

The very second the torches flared on, Kat's emerald eyes began to scan the cell. She turned slowly even while absorbing one of her fireballs back into her skin, but she remained on her guard with her other fireball constantly at the ready. Her fire flickered in the howling winds but did not go out. Zora also turned slowly around, her own eyes searching their cell.

Though Kat had been searching mainly for Ace, she had remained on the look-out for the rest of her animals. Her eyes passed uncaring over most of the two-leggers in the room, only briefly pausing in concern over Hansel who was being cradled by the naked Chinese man who had snuck onto the Monkey and Bishop, who was running as though he was as terrified as the braying donkey who raced through the room. What scared Kat and caused her skin to pale even more was the lack of animals in the room. There was a black cat near a group of people that included Jack Sparrow, his Sorceress Katrina Lewis, and his gunner Faith; a dragon, lioness, and wolf by a group of four two-leggers, two of which she also recognized as belonging to Sparrow's crews; the panicked donkey she'd already spotted; an odd, two-legged dog chasing a poodle with a hairdo that was as unusual as the clothes the first dog wore; a young, brunette woman holding a Siamese cat; a purple dragon hovering protectively nearby another brunette woman; and two jaguars with a Latina woman.

That would have been enough animals for most women, but the sight of so few four-leggers scared Kat so badly her heart almost stopped. All these animals were animals she did not recognize! Where were her babies! Where was Ace! Hell, where were Clyde and Vang! Rising panic clogged her throat and was only paused by a growled direction from Zora.

Kat's emerald eyes tore toward the direction of Zora's gaze, . . . and then her heart did stop for a moment as her eyes fell upon Ace. He lay on the floor as limply as though all his energetic livelihood had been sucked out of him. His brown hair was swept back from his pale face, and his soaked brightly-colored shirt, white undershirt, and striped pants clung to his still body. Clyde sat on top of him, his tiny hands clasped together and his head bowed in prayer. "Bast . . . " The cry that broke from Kat's voice was barely audible even to Zora's feline ears, and without another word, the redhead ran for her lover.

Zora looked away, blinking back tears as Kat landed on her knees and began shaking Ace and crying out at him to awaken in Gaelic. She knew her friend did not even realize that she was not speaking English, and she prayed to Bast that Ace wasn't dead and that Connor, Vang, and Sebastian were still around there somewhere. The tiger's mouth dropped open as her prayer seemed to be immediately answered for her eyes finally spotted Connor, leading his father, brother, and -- thank Bast! -- Vang to some particular location that Zora had no clue of. She had just started to head after them when Jamaican words screamed past her ear. She turned and found Sebastian, both tiger cubs, and Wolfie all caught up in Ororo's winds, which had already put out Kat's fireball though neither she nor Zora had realized it at the time.

* * *

James breathed a sigh of relief. There, not too far ahead of him and his sons, sat Smee on the floor, crying as though his poor heart was broken which James knew it was because of him. "There he is!" James cried triumphantly, his wet mustache twitching with barely held-back tears. He immediately started racing gladly forward.

He could not wait to get his arms around Smee. Relief flooded his heart. Smee lived, and with his living, James vowed that he would prove, once and for all, that he loved Smee just as soon as he figured out how! What mattered now was that he get to Smee!

James had always been the perfect gentleman, but for once in his life, he did not pay any attention to his appearance. His raggedy shirt and pants did not matter even though the sharks had almost gotten him and he had barely managed to escape with his life.

He knelt beside Smee. "Thank the Gods, Samuel, you live!" He tried to gather his beloved in his arms, but Smee's arms kept him from getting too close to him. He felt his boys kneel to either side of Smee and embrace him from the back side. He heard their words of happiness that their father lived, but he also heard the broken-hearted words of Smee.

He had been rather surprised when, before he had reached him, Smee had yelled back at their captors. Didn't Smee know where this was? Didn't he remember what had happened to James when he had yelled once upon a time? It had taken forever to find a healer to regrow his tongue! "Sh!" he whispered even as he kissed Smee on the only part of Smee's face that he could reach which was the side of his head, just above his ear. "Do not talk back to them! Remember what they did to me?" He continued to try to squirm closer to Smee.

As Vang stood guard over the happy family reunion and looked out for his own family and his boys nearly strangled him with their hugs, Smee looked up at James through tear-filled eyes. He remembered all too well what the Council had done both to James and himself, but he'd thought it no longer mattered what the Council would do to him. It wouldn't have even now if not for his boys.

The Council was full of heartless assholes, and Smee knew that they would be far too likely to hurt his children in order to hurt him. He also realized that the presence of their kids was the only reason why James was acting as though he still loved him. Smee could not bare to look upon his beloved and see him act like he loved him when he knew it was just that -- an act put on for the sake of their boys -- and so he turned his head instead to bury his face into Connor's shaggy, brown hair. He squeezed his children to him as best he could, taking what comfort he could from the fact that at least they still loved him . . . though they did deserve a better father than he . . .

James felt Smee turn away from him, and once again, he kicked his own ass. Why had the spell been thrown upon him like it had! Why had he gone for that damn woman when he had never loved any one like he loved Smee! How was he ever going to prove it to him! His mustache quivered as he fought to keep the tears back. Was it all to be heartless and hopeless! Was he to lose Smee! He could never go on without him for he found that Smee was his heart and soul and that the kids were only icing on the cake!

He would not want to ever lose any of his family but would gladly sacrifice himself to keep them safe. He remembered the first time he had stood here, full of defiance and anger, much like he felt now except that now he also felt fear but fear for his family, not himself. He knew the Council was not above hurting the boys to get at him or Smee. He vowed he would put himself between them and his family even if it meant sacrificing himself. The thought occurred to him that he never would have done that for any one before his Smee.

Frederic glanced at both of his fathers. He didn't know what he could do to help. He needed some one smarter in the ways of the heart than he was, but he didn't know any one to talk to. He glanced at his brother, Connor, who wasn't any wiser than he was, and their eyes met above Smee's balding head. They had to do something to get their parents back together, but what? And just where the Hell were they? He had reached for his sword already and it was gone, so he knew they were prisoners. He would fight with his bare hands if it came to it to protect his parents and his brother, but Gods, how he wished for a sword!

Connor shook his head as he looked into his brother's eyes. What were they going to do to get their parents back together? He hadn't a clue, and he knew that Frederic was even less experienced than he was. At least, he now had a girlfriend. Maybe he should talk to her and Vang? Hopefully they would have ideas to help.

* * *

When the room became lit up by torches suddenly springing to life all around the walls, Mouse's first action was to draw her sword. Her second was to look around for Ray, Bob, Enzo, and AndrAla while standing at the ready for battle. The latter three were nowhere to be seen, and it took her a full minute to find Ray. When she did finally spy him, all her fear and concern about their reunion disappeared in her fear and worry for him.

He lay on the floor as though he was being slowly deleted, his hand on his chest and his whole body pale and flickering. Fear caught at Mouse's throat, and she screamed his name as she broke out into a run, heading directly for him. Reaching him, she dropped her sword to the floor and gathered him into her arms. "Ray! Ray, dahlin', what's wrong! Speak ta me, Ray!" She trembled with fear.

"M-M-M-Mouse?" Ray managed to get out. "Processor malfunction! Thank the . . . User you're processing!" His hand reached up and touched his beloved's cheek.

"Ah don't want ta process wit'out ya!" The words slipped out without Mouse even realizing them. She looked around the room through her tears, but still she could find Bob nowhere. User, where was he when she needed him the most! The damned Guardian was never there when it mattered the most!

And Phong . . . Phong was already deleted! Enzo and AndrAla would no more know what to do to mend a malfunctioning processor than she did, but she had to save Ray. That left only one option.

In the midst of the chaos that was erupting all around them, Mouse spied Spike, desperately clinging to Kyna's body and head, which he had finally managed to grab a hold of. "SPIKE!" she yelled at him, hoping that he would hear her and trusting his Vampire ears to catch her words. Never once did she realize that, with all the stress and fear boring down upon her, her own fangs were clearly visible. "SPIKE, IF BOB, ENZO, OR ANDRALA STILL PROCESS," she was too lost in her fear for Ray to even take note of her language, "TELL THEM WE WENT HOME!"

Without a further word to Spike, Mouse's gaze returned to Ray. "Don't worry, honey," she told him. "We're gonna go home now. Dot'll know how to fix ya." Leaning down to him, she kissed his lips and double clicked both their icons.

Spike watched as both Mouse and Ray disappeared from his sight. He didn't know where she was taking Ray but hoped that she would be in time to save him. Why was Ray flickering? Spike wasn't sure exactly what Ray and Mouse were, and the fact that she was a Vampiress had completely taken him by surprise. Why did she say process instead of live? What did she mean by it?

He scratched his head. Kyna knew more about them than he did. He glanced back down at Kyna's head. "Oh, baby, come back to me _please_!" he begged her. He continued to sit on the floor where he was holding and rocking her, oblivious to his surroundings and not even with it enough to say a prayer for the couple even though he liked them well.

* * *

Gabrielle awoke to Xena's hands checking every inch of her body and her voice calling to her. Though her lover was not screaming her name, unlike some of the other voices the bard could hear, she was just as much afraid for her as the others were for their lovers. Gabrielle could hear Xena's fear in her voice, though no one else would have recognized the emotion in the Pirate Princess' words.

Gabrielle's green eyes opened, and she found herself gazing up into her lover's baby blues. She wondered why Xena's hair was wet though it was not raining. Then she realized that she was wet, as well, and that their soaked status must have come from falling into the ocean. Where were they now? Had the others made it? Was Joxer all right? Autolycus?

The bard decided that those questions could wait as she gazed up into her beloved Xena's eyes and saw the smile therein and the tiny grin that flashed over her face before quickly disappearing, a sign that immediately told Gabrielle that they were still far from safe. They'd face whatever it was together and make it through, Gabrielle knew, but that, too, could wait for just a moment. Her hand reached up, her fingers threading into Xena's long, ebony hair. She gently pulled Xena's lips down and leaned up to meet her the rest of the way.

Xena melted into the kiss, wishing that she and Gabrielle were nowhere near this Gods-awful place and that they were alone so that she could pledge her undying love once again to her beloved, but the warrioress side of her would not let her be. She knew they were in danger, and so she broke off their kiss, helping Gabrielle to get to a sitting position. "There are Demons about according to Donkey. One of them tried to get him. Haven't seen it come through yet, but I'm waiting for it."

Her hand reached out for her chakram and came away empty. "Oh my Goddess! I've lost it!" she exclaimed in fear. What would she use for a weapon? Her other hand reached out for her sword, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Why had some one taken her chakram and not her sword? Were they idiots and thought that she couldn't use her sword as well as her chakram? She'd show them! She grinned at Gabrielle. "I've got my sword, though," she told her reassuringly.

Gabrielle looked questioningly at Xena, her head cocked slightly to one side. "That doesn't make sense. Who would take your chakram but not your sword? And don't tell me you lost it," she told her with a shake of her head. "You don't just lose weapons. I might, but you don't."

"No. Some one took it. I will get it back." Xena looked upward. "There's some one up there waiting for all of us. Be on your toes." Then she gave Gabrielle one of her eager-for-battle smiles.

Gabrielle couldn't help grinning at the look on her lover's face. "Still, though," she wondered aloud, "why would they take your chakram but not your sword?"

"Maybe they collect unusual weapons," Xena told her, "but they're going to give it back, or I'm going to make them eat my sword and then they're going to give it back. One way or the other, I'm getting it back."

Gabrielle nodded. She still wondered why some one would go to all the trouble of capturing them yet not strip them of their weapons. It wasn't as though they'd been conscious . . . or _had_ Xena been conscious? She knew her sais were gone as she'd lost them quite some time ago, and she had no other weapons on her person. Still, however, she moved on to a different question. "Have you seen Joxer? Autolycus?"

A voice broke in to answer Gabrielle's question. "I'm right over here! I was just about to tell you two to get a room!" He chuckled.

Joxer looked at Autolycus in confusion. "Why would they need a room?" It was only after he'd spoken the question that realization dawned upon his face. "Oh!" He grinned.

Xena looked over at the two of them with a quirked brow, Gabrielle following her gaze. "What chariot ran over you?" she asked. The pair looked as though they had been drug behind one.

Autolycus grinned back at the couple. "I believe it was a chariot called Eddie. He stepped all over me and Joxer in his haste to flee from the Demon. 'Course I haven't seen the Demon come through yet. I was hoping Elizabeth would rescue me."

Gabrielle laughed and rolled her eyes, already deducting from Autolycus' words that Donkey had finally gotten a name and he was the Eddie the mustached Pirate referred to. "That figures," she said, getting to her feet.

Autolycus looked up at Xena. "Give a guy a hand?" he asked pleadingly. Xena lowered her hand and pulled Autolycus to his feet as Gabrielle assisted Joxer.

"Looks to me like you need a healer. Maybe you and Joxer should go in search of one?" she offered. "Gabby and I will look for Elizabeth."

Joxer looked pleadingly at Xena. "And Phoebe, too?"

"Yeah, and Phoebe, too," Xena assured him as Gabby patted his shoulder. "We'll find your women. Doesn't look like the Demon's coming any way."

The words had barely left Xena's mouth when a gray tabby cat stalked by them, his tail straight up in the air and his fur fluffed out. The four exchanged a look but then shook their heads. "Nah."

* * *

Elvira groaned in ecsatsy as Wolf continued nibbling her neck. The pale fingers of one of her hands was busily stroking his bushy tail, constantly moving with the fur, while her other hand roamed his muscular body freely. Her own mouth was suckling his neck while his sword pressed against her bush. Another second, another stroke, and he would be fully in her home.

The storm had not deterred her nor had Donkey when he'd almost ran over them. He would have trampled them indeed if she had not rolled with Wolf when she had. In fact, nothing had stopped their love-making nor awakened him, she realized as he let rip with another snore, but then her black eyes spied just who exactly was speaking . . . and she froze.

"Damn it!" she snapped, her eyes flashing angrily. "As much as I hate to break this up, my hot, little Wolfie, you're gonna have to wake up!" Where were Delvira and Jareth? Were they awake? If they were, she knew they were afraid for Jareth's life, and she had to be there for them. "Wolf, darling, wake up!"

Wolf stirred and finally opened his eyes. "I was dreaming," he told her wistfully. "We were playing in the hay." He looked around. "There's not any hay here," he commented as he sat up.

"No hay," Elvira agreed as she gently nipped his cheek, "but still not too far from it."

"Where is here?" He grabbed her and rolled to the side just as a lightning bolt hit where he had been sitting.

She sighed, knowing that they had to get serious. "Here," she told him with foreboding, "is the holding pit of the Council."

He mouthed the words: "Holding pit of the Council?" Aloud, he screeched, "_You mean Hell!_" His tail went stiff. How could he go from such a pleasing dream to the nightmarish holds of Hell! Was he still asleep? He rubbed his eyes anxiously and then looked again, but they were still in the same place.

Elvira couldn't help the grin that flashed over her face at the sight of both his tail and sword jerking straight at the knowledge. With a raised eyebrow and a suggestive look and tone, she told him with a nod at his fully-aroused member, "You might wanna try to keep that down, hon," she told him coyly, but then she continued in all seriousness. "This isn't Hell exactly, but for my sister and her husband, it's not far from it."

Wolf looked downward, and for the first time, realized he was naked. His hands went immediately to cover his front. "I need something to put on," he told her, "and so do you. I don't want every one looking at you!" He could see nothing laying around, and so he looked upward. "Hey, how about some clothes down here?" he called hopefully up.

At the feminine giggling that answered Wolf's plea, Elvira growled. "Keep your damn eyes in your sockets!" she shot back upwards. Then she heard a male voice chuckling that was joined by another and then another.

Wolf remained rooted to the spot. He was being looked at, and he had nothing to cover himself with! This was worst than the time he had found himself naked in the meadow at the break of dawn and was surrounded by sherpadesses trying to herd his sheep! He had barely managed to escape that time. Would not some one please help him now! He kept gazing upward in anticipation until he heard a rustling noise. He reached out and grabbed the objects as they fell toward him. Shaking the robes out, he handed one to Elvira and put the other one on quickly, thankful to be covered at last.

Elvira took the robe but did not make any move to actually put it on. She didn't want to look like one of the Council, and she didn't mind being naked. After all, she'd practically been naked in the final scene of her show. She sighed at the memory.

Wolf looked over at her. "I know you don't like it, darling, but please put it on. I don't want those others looking at you. That should be for my eyes only!" He smiled at her, his pointed teeth showing.

Elvira sighed but relented at the pleading look on her lover's face. As she donned the robe, though, she couldn't help telling him, "All right, but you know nude is the way Mother Nature intended us." She laughed at Wolf's look.

* * *

Donkey wondered if the man was still alive as he knew he had hit him pretty hard. He tried desperately to turn sideways so that his side would take the wall, and as a booming voice ripped out from above, he did just that. The ramming of the wall made him feel as though his ribs had broken, but at least he had kept the man from being crushed in between his body and the wall.

He lay where he had fallen, his sides heaving as he desperately gasped for air. What had the man above been saying? Something about his people attacking the people sent down to help? He cocked one brown eye open slowly and looked at the blonde man he'd carried with him. Not recognizing him, he asked, "Which one are you?"

* * *

Cole was dreaming that he had, at long last, managed to get Piper in the bed again. Her soft voice caressed over his skin and made him move insistently downward toward her. His lips sought hers even as he heard the words "wake up". Damn, it figures! he thought to himself. It's only a dream, but what a dream!

He rolled off of Piper, realizing that his weight had been crushing her. "I'm sorry, darling. Don't know how I ended up on top of you. Are you okay?" He reached out and touched her face gently. Seeing the fear there, he immediately turned to look upward.

He could not believe that 'Ro was in the air and that hard rain was pelting every one, lightning bolts blasting. "I swear, I think that woman spends more time in the air than she does on earth!" he told Piper. His eyes then took in the sight of Paige and Wolverine, who was still leaping upward. "That might be a good idea. I'll be right back, sweetie. I'm going to give Wolverine a lift."

"Hold on a second, love," Piper told Cole, finally finding her breath again. She had been breathing shallowly ever since he'd moved against her and she had felt his mighty sword begging for entrance through the flag's fabric. Her brown eyes again stole to his body, but she hurriedly looked away and back to her godmother with a blush. "I might have a quicker solution . . . " Her words trailed off as she flung her hands out at Ororo. She frowned as nothing happened. She tried twice more with still no result.

Cole looked on as Piper attempted to use her powers. "Where are we?" he asked her. "Do they still have our powers controlled?"

"I don't know," Piper replied with a frown. "When I first woke, we were on a shore somewhere, and it was snowing. I found you almost frozen in a snowbank and was just beginning to get you to come around when something happened. It was like we just started falling, although it had been solid ground under our feet. You tried to shimmer," she told him, glancing around, "but from the looks of things, I don't think it worked."

"I'm going to try it again. If it works, I'm going to Wolverine. I'm going to throw him up to 'Ro. It's worked in the past when we were fighting. Hopefully, it will work now." He smiled at her as he shimmered.

Piper nodded. "Be safe, dear." She barely had time to get the words out before Cole disappeared. She prayed he'd make it to Wolverine in one piece and that Ororo would not fry Wolverine.

* * *

Smee had taken comfort in his boys' hugs for as long as he dared, but even their love could not mend his shattered heart and broken spirit. At last, he kissed Connor's temple, pulled away from him, and turned to Frederic. He kissed Frederic's cheek, as well, before speaking, and still he did not look at James. "C-Ch-Children," he finally managed to find his voice, "I-I know you do not know where we are, b-but J-J-J-J-J-James . . . " It even hurt to say his name. " . . . an-and I do."

"Where are we?" Frederic asked in a soft whisper. He was afraid to be overheard, and his eyes kept roving around trying to see what he could see that might be holding them.

Connor looked intently at his father. He had heard tales of this place late at night when he had overheard James and Smee talking. "Are we at the Judgment?" he asked.

Smee nodded.

"But why? What have you done this time? Were you two sneaking around behind us, doing something?"

"N-No," Smee's voice quivered as he spoke, and he would no more meet his boys' eyes than he would James' questing gaze. "I-I s-su-sus-suspect that . . . that they have come to finish what they started."

James shook his head, his eyes still glued on Smee. "No. While you were taken, we were visited by the Wizards. We are being retried. They're after us because we left Neverland, but under the extenuating circumstances, one could hardly blame us."

"T-True," Smee managed, though still not facing James, "b-but th-they will not see it that way."

"All we can do is state our case and pray that some one up there will believe us. If they don't, at least you boys are not involved. They should not be calling upon you for judgment. Albus wouldn't let them. He failed us once before, but I don't think he will this time."

Smee snorted through the tears that still threatened to roll down his chubby face yet again. None of those Wizards could be trusted! What had Albus done to make James think he could trust him? Dance a beautiful, naked woman across his lap?

If James had known what Smee was thinking, he would have realized how awful Smee was thinking of him now and just how big the pit was he had to climb out of. It was a good thing he did not know. "Albus came to the house to help us to go after you and the others who were taken. He saved our lives." He thought for a moment back to what he had been doing when the house had been burning, and his face blushed. "You also have Delvira to thank. If it had not been for that woman's mouth, I would have probably kept sitting, playing the piano while the house was burning down around my ears!"

"_Dad!_" both boys exclaimed, but even as his children protested, Smee remained quiet. So Delvira was in on it too? Why not? Even with her pale skin and ghoulish appearance, she was a far cry lovelier than he would ever be again.

Vang had already glanced once at Smee, sensing the old man's thoughts, and shaken his head. Now he looked again at James and Smee and once more shook his head. As he looked back around, however, he finally spied Zora, and without a word to the others, took off running for his daughter.

* * *

Kurt had gotten to his feet and moved to stand beside Kitty. He had not known what Kitty had leapt over his head for until after she had already kicked the Wizard. He had been surprised that Charles had been coming up behind him so quietly that he had not even heard him. No wonder Kitty had kicked him for his beloved had thought he was in danger!

He now turned to face the forbidding voice. "I am sorry, but mein Katzchen zought she vas protecting me. Ve had no idea he vas coming to help. Zank you for sending healers, and please forgive us for our attack." He did not acknowledge Charles even though he knew the Wizard. In fact, Charles had been one of the two who had saved him from the poison, and he considered him to be a friend. He waited with his bowed head to hear what the voice would now say. Hercules, please stay close to me, he prayed to his new-found God.

Kitty's brown eyes darted sideways to look at Kurt, and she couldn't help a sly grin at the way the pointed tip of his blue tail was sticking out from underneath his Priest's robe and jerking wildly. He might appear calm, but she knew his rile was up as much as hers. Looking back to Charles, she offered, "Hum . . . Sorry?" Her gut told her an apology would do them no good, however, and she thought back to who she had already been communicating telepathically with.

Stay on your toes, Ray. I know you're pretty well down right now --

I'm not --

You don't have to lie to me, Rachel. I know you well enough to know the strain that your telepathy's putting on you right now. Focus on blocking it out, but stay ready for a fight.

Aye aye, Capt'n, Rachel mockingly shot back.

"YOU DARE THINK THAT A MERE APOLOGY CAN WIN OUR FAVOR, DEMON!" The word made Kitty's teeth clench and her hands ball into fists. She'd show them what a Demon _she_ could be if she could only reach them! She was a mere second away from walking up the air when Charles whispered to her.

Be calm, Katheryn, Xavier murmured within her and Kurt's minds, and I apologize. Then he spoke to where the whole room could hear him as he got to his feet. "It is indeed our fault, Drell. I tried to tell you that they would react in a defensive manner."

Drell looked down his nose at Xavier. "HURRY UP, AND BE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS OF HEALING! THE TRIAL SHOULD HAVE STARTED ALREADY! IF YOU HAVE NEED OF HEALING, LET IT BE DONE AT ONCE! DO A GROUP HEALING! GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY!" he growled out.

"That would take quite a bit of . .. "

"DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE!" Drell demanded haughtily before retaking his seat in the center of the booth. "YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES! WHOEVER IS NOT HEALED WITHIN THAT TIME CAN DIE FOR ALL I CARE!" Snickering met his ears, and a smooth, masculine voice spoke his approval.

"Well said, my friend."

Lex Luthor's eyes snapped open at those words. "_Oh shit!_"

**To Be Continued . . . **


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

**Mainframe**

Bob slowly stirred and opened his eyes. He felt the weight of Frisket upon him, and then his ear drums were almost shattered by Frisket's anxious bark and the scrambling feet of the dog as he ran forward, barking even more frantically. Bob got up and looked in the direction that Frisket had run.

He was totally surrounded by a grayness devoid of any other matter. He could not tell where to put his feet safely as it seemed that there was a gray mist rising from where the ground should be. In fact, the mist had become so heavy that he could not see Frisket, and the only thing that he could tell was that Frisket was still barking at something and his barks were even louder. He walked slowly toward the barks, hoping that whatever surrounded them would not swallow both of them up.

Where was he? He thought that when he had hit his icon, it would have taken him home, but this couldn't be home! Home was brightly lit with myriads of color, and it was always a bustle of activity, though nothing compared to the Super Computer.

"FRISKET?" he called as he continued to walk forward, hoping that he was not walking into a trap. His own voice echoed back to him. Each step took him even further into the mist until he reached a point he could not see even his hand in front of his face.

With relief, Bob felt his keytool attached to his wrist. Memory guided his fingers to one of the special keys that provided light. He was rewarded with a dim light that helped him to see where he was stepping.

Suddenly, Frisket stopped barking. Why? Bob wondered. Had something taken him? That thought carried him into the area where Frisket was now frantically licking the melting ice on what appeared to be the back of Enzo.

He hurried forward and knelt beside his best friend. His finger searched for another key that turned on a small heater, and he began to hold it close to Enzo's back where the ice now began to slowly disappear. He prayed that Enzo would still process.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room**

Trent stared at the talking animal that had just thrown him into the wall. Slowly, he managed to begin moving his slacked jaw, but he was still trying to find his voice when barking suddenly erupted and another talking animal flew into the first!

Didymus could not believe that Donkey was still sitting on the man and had not crushed him! With his tiny cane, he hit Donkey on the bum, which was already sore. Donkey roared with pain. "GET OFF OF ME, YOU FLEA-BITTEN MONGREL!" to which Didymus replied, "GET OFF THE MAN, THOU BIG, DUMB OXEN!"

Donkey got slowly to his hooves, and when Eddie turned his baleful eyes upon Sir Didymus, the small dog should have been warned to get the Hell gone, but he failed to notice the gleam in Eddie's eye as he turned around. The next minute, he was met with Eddie's hooves which collided with his behind and sent him sailing through the air to come to rest upon Clark's chest. Didymus began to yip once again. Even though Donkey was way on the other side of the room and he doubted he could hear him, he told him what a big, clumsy ass he was.

As Trent scuttled backwards from the talking donkey and Didymus yipped in canine language, Clark swatted at the heavy thing on his chest. His hand fell with surprising gentleness upon the dog's fur, however, as the young man muttered, "Not yet, Lex. Let me sleep just a little longer, baby. Then we can play whatever you want, but I'm just so tired . . . " His words ended with another snore that was drowned out by laughing overhead.

* * *

He came to slowly, but as he realized that he still lived, he did not bother to get up or even check his body for injuries. He heard many voices yelling, screaming, and crying. Some were familiar, but he did not bother to try to separate the familiar ones from those belonging to strangers. None of them mattered. Even the one voice whose screech he recognized through the clutter of all the others could not bring him to do so much as even budge. Let Autolycus take care of her, he thought as he continued to lay. She doesn't matter. None of them do. Jack . . . His heart and throat whimpered in unison as the name reverberated through his mind.

How could his beloved be gone? How could they have survived so much together for him to be killed now, now after they'd survived Supernatural critters, dinosaurs, Piratesses, nearly everything he could have ever imagined as being hurtful and so much that he never would have thought to exist? How could Jack be gone now? And at his blasted brother's hands, at that! Will was not even aware of the growl that escaped him as he thought of that accursed Brendan. He hoped he'd rot in Hell.

At last, as yet another unknown voice bellowed out a warning that the people around him had two minutes to be healed or else they could die, Will picked up his head. His brown hair hung limply all around his face, and he had to shake his head to move it out of his vision so that he could look around. He paid no attention to most of those he saw, but then, in a far corner, he spied the Werewolf who had sent his beloved Jack plunging to his death.

Will stared at the wolf, whose yellow eyes seemed to look right through him to the flesh and bones his body was made of. He's still hungry. He killed Jack. Didn't get to eat him but killed him. How could Jack have let a Werewolf be his brother? He had more sense than that. I know he did! He killed Jack! The scattered thoughts swirled through his pounding head as he began to take stock of himself.

He was still alive, though he'd jumped after Jack to what he'd believed to be his death. Without Jack, he didn't want to live. Indeed, he wouldn't live. Perhaps it would have been better if Elizabeth had never saved him in the first place, but then he never would have known Jack . . . Still, with Jack gone, he wasn't going to live in this Hell of a world.

Would Elizabeth mourn for him? He didn't care. Let Autolycus pick up the pieces. He just didn't care. His sister . . . Indeed! If she turned out to be any kind of a sister like Brendan was a brother to Jack, she was the least thing he needed!

Jack . . . Jack was dead . . . That damn Brendan had killed him . . .

He was naked, Will realized as he pulled himself up to a sitting position. He was naked, and there was a bunch of people around. So what? he questioned dully, too far gone in his grief to give even the slightest bit of a damn. So what? All it meant was that he didn't have a weapon.

Then he saw it -- a glimpse of silver just laying on the floor! A discarded weapon! A means to kill himself and take that damn wolf with him! With a primordial yell bellowing forth from his dry throat, Will sprang forward, grabbed the weapon from the stone floor, and charged toward the Werewolf.

* * *

Roxanne looked up as yet another man ran by screaming at the top of his lungs. She made a disgusted face as she warned her pets, "¡Ahora no mire, las muchachas, pero hay otro! ¡Y me maldecirán si él no está desnudo! ¡Diosa, qué una vista fea!" Her nose wrinkled even as she yelled in English at the stranger, "PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!"

Roxanne turned back to Sasha to see that the older of her two familiars had kept her concentration intently trained upon their patient but that the younger one was looking up, her eyes on the man and a disgusted expression also upon her furry face. Roxanne shared Yasmine's feelings but did not comment to her; instead, she turned her attention back to Sasha.

As Sasha's claw finally snagged the bullet in Trina's shoulder and Will drew closer, Yasmine pulled back her head. With a grunt, the jaguar let her spit fly at the same time that her mate pulled the bullet up through the hole in the blonde woman's shoulder. The bullet popped out, sending a spray of blood spattering both jaguars' coats and their mistress' face and hair, just as Yasmine's spitball barely missed the running man. Yasmine complained to Sasha with a grunt as she tried unsuccessfully to shake the human blood off of her.

Unlike her pets, Roxanne was not deterred in the slightest by the blood. As soon as Sasha caught the bullet and moved out of her way, the Latina leaned forward with the piece of cloth she gripped in her hands and began to work on stopping the blood flow. She still did not know where they were or why they were being held here, but she would solve the case by healing one female at a time and kicking one male butt at a time. She shuddered at the memory of the naked man even as, somewhere within their cell, a howl broke forth from a male Werewolf. She shook her head as she applied more pressure to the wound. "Varones. ¡Qué criaturas repugnantes!"

Her jaguars grunted in agreement as they stood. The couple arched their backs at first but then, after stretching, took up their sentry positions around her. With their protection, Roxanne would know there was danger coming before it got within even fifteen feet of her, and chances were that she would not have to lift a finger to defend herself and could instead continue her ministering.

* * *

Pan had been staring at James Hook for hours it seemed. He'd get him this time! How dare he leave Neverland and take his playtoys with him! He had been miserable and very lonely since Hook had left! Tinkerbell refused to play with him any more, and his Lost Boys were no longer any fun. In fact, he seemed to be alone too much of the time as Tinkerbell was spending most of her time at the Indian village. Just what was going on down there he had yet to find out, but he would, he vowed.

He glanced away for one moment to see what all the yelling was about. All he could see was one naked male running with a silver sword in his hand who seemed to be heading straight for the Werewolf. This should be fun! he thought. But I have to watch Hook or he'll slip away. He has to be punished!

His eyes quickly darted back to Hook just in time to see a spitball splatter against that atrocity on his face that he called a mustache. He doubled up in laughter and fell backwards with his feet waving in the air and his arms holding his sides. That only lasted a few seconds, and he got back up. Have to watch Hook, he kept reminding himself, or the codfish might get away!

He looked for a way to further increase the embarrassment of the spitball and began to sneak quietly downward, keeping one eye upon Drell and the rest of the Council and the other on Hook. He crept closer and closer, and before any one could see, in the twinkling of an eye, he had snapped Hook's cravat. The white cloth rolled upwards and smacked Hook in the nose.

Hook roared in pain, cursing the damn boi. Oh, if only he could get his hook upon him! With his hand, he continued to wipe the spitball away while his hook reached up and pulled the cravat down. James could not believe that Smee was not helping him out during his dilemma! "The boi is here!" he told Smee. "Be careful!" Why would Smee not look at him, especially now that he needed his help!

It hurt Smee so badly to keep himself rooted still that tears stung his eyes, but still he kept his head turned downward and his eyes trained on the floor. He couldn't cry again, not now, not with James and his boys right there to see him. He scrunched his eyes tightly closed, even as Frederic assured his father that he was looking out for the boi and only wished for his sword to run him through, and tried hard not to cry. His red, round nose sniffed.

Meanwhile, Pan looked for further trouble that he could cause Hook. He saw a tiger look back in concern at the commotion he'd just been leaving. The big cat looked back towards another tiger who was jumping in the air after something, then turned and began to head back toward Hook. Pan snuck around to the other side, grabbed the big cat's striped tail in both hands, and then bit it hard. He was so excited that his ears wriggled as he chomped down!

Vang had just been heading back toward James and his family to see what the new problem was when something bit his tail and hung onto it with its teeth! The tiger's roar echoed through the room, causing heads to snap up and even sending a falter in the storm for just a split second. Vang began to run, but whatever had a hold of his tail was going along with him! He roared again, calling for help, as he tried to get a look at his unseen enemy. He saw a flash of green, but that was all he could see. As he tried to reach his enemy, or at least catch sight of him, he began to rapidly turn in circles.

* * *

Cole reached Wolverine's side. He heard Wolverine's moans of defeat. "Oh my darling! If I could only reach ya!"

"You can, buddy!" Cole said as he appeared. "Cannonball time!" he instructed as he dropped into position.

"Thanks," Wolverine told his friend as he placed his foot in Cole's cupped hands and felt himself thrown upward. He reached his arms straight outward and prayed that he'd reach 'Ro. Sure enough, he was close enough to her that he grabbed her booted heel and began to pull himself quickly upward. "Little darlin', I'm here," he said. "It's yer Wolverine!" He slipped his arms around her and held on tightly, his eyes glancing downwards once.

Cole shimmered back to Piper's side before glancing upward and seeing that Wolverine had reached his goal, who was now bucking even more.

* * *

Zora had been busily leaping through the air after Sebastian, the cubs, and Wolfie and had just grabbed Sebastian's tail in her teeth when Vang bellowed. She released the crab without another thought to her friend and set off running in the direction of Vang's roar, her own roar answering him. She could barely believe that some damned boy, clad in green, had dared to grab hold of her father's tail with his teeth, and the sight and Vang's roars of pain made her run even faster and roar even louder.

Connor had jumped to his feet and was standing, waiting for Vang to come closer. He had no weapon to attack Pan with except his fists, and now he was ready for anything! He could see Zora running and knew she'd reach him before he could. He hoped she'd tear him from limb to limb.

Vang's roar calling for help was the only sound that broke Kat out of her grief for Ace. She looked up through the tears that burned in her emerald eyes and saw what she presumed to be a damn human biting Vang's tail! With a cry of rage, she started to form a fireball.

"Kathleen," a familiar voice called, "that is not called for! This situation can be handled without -- "

Kat didn't even look at Xavier. He could have helped matters a lot further than by just sending her to help Jack's people, but he had not. He had sent her into a fight that had claimed her beloved Ace's life, and she hoped he'd die a slow, smoldering death. Her other hand lifted from Ace's still body and began to form a second fireball. The fire danced in her tear-filled eyes, and she let the first go toward the boy even as she yelled at Xavier. "GO DTACHTA AN DIABHAL THU!" As the Wizard's mouth fell open in shock, the first fireball sped straight toward Pan.

Pan saw the chaos he had caused and, with a smile, took himself out of the picture immediately. He flew so quickly that he was back in his seat before Drell had had a chance to miss him.

Drell turned around and looked. He was having trouble keeping up with all the chaos being caused by the abominations and flirting with one of the women in his booth, and he was getting sick and tired of all the interruptions. He bellowed, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT! WHAT GOT THAT TIGER STARTED! SOMEBODY SHUT HIM UP! YOU NOW HAVE ONE MINUTE, XAVIER!"

Charles rubbed his temple. He was certainly getting quite a headache, but it wasn't the tiger's fault. "With all due respect, Drell," Charles responded, his voice tight, "if the boy had not left his seat, the tiger would not have had cause to roar."

"BOY? WHAT BOY?" Drell demanded and looked around the booth at the faces therein. Only then did it occur to him that there was only one boy in their midst.

The man sitting to his left rubbed his beard. "I'm afraid Xavier is right, for a change," the smooth, sophisticated voice informed Drell. "I always did say that that dratted Pan was no better than my own offspring." He nearly spit the last word.

A small, female voice piped up from the floor beside Drell's legs. "It was Peter Pan, sir. We did try to tell you that he was not worthy of being involved here."

Pan began to turn shades of red and tremble as Drell's eyes fell upon him. He wished for Tink but realized that she was, yet again, nowhere near him. His eyes searched the room and finally came to rest upon Tink sitting on Tiger Lily's knee and purposefully not looking at him. The pixie was turned with her back toward him and her nose pointed upwards.

"PAN, IF YOU GET OUT OF YOUR SEAT AGAIN, UNLESS I TELL YOU TO, YOUR TRIAL WILL START **_NOW_**!"

Pan gulped. _My_ trial! he thought. Oh crap! I've done it this time! What's he going to do to me! Aloud, he spoke innocently, "But, sir, I haven't done anything!"

"THAT WILL BE DECIDED AFTER I AM THROUGH DEALING WITH THE abominations," Drell told him, "UNLESS YOU INTERFERE AGAIN. SIT QUIETLY, AND DO NOT OPEN YOUR MOUTH UNLESS I MISTAKENLY ASK YOU A QUESTION." He sniffed. "OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AS I DON'T MAKE MISTAKES."

The man sitting beside him smiled. "Of course you don't, Sir."

Another man cleared his voice, but the woman sitting on Drell's other side with her hand upon his knee bubbled happily at him. "Of course you don't, Drelleykins, which is why I know you'll make the right decision regarding our cat!"

* * *

Jack could not believe the chaos that was all around him. Now he heard something else hollering, a dearly-beloved voice screaming something he couldn't understand. He got to his feet and looked back down at Faith. "I have to see about Will," he told her. "I'll be back soon." He went running toward the sound of Will's voice, wondering what was wrong with him.

* * *

Across the room, Eddie heard his boy hollering. "Oh my Gods! Something's got a hold of my boy!" he spoke to the blonde man, who scuttled even further backwards, his blue eyes already looking like they were about to pop out of his head. "I'll have to return to you after I take care of my boy!"

Trent, at long last, found his voice again. "P-P-P-P-P-Pl-Pl-Pl-Pleasedon'tbother!"

"It's no bother, but I have to take care of my boy! I'm coming, Will!" Eddie yelled and began to run toward the sound of Will's voice.

* * *

"**_WILL!_**" Jack yelled. "WHERE ARE YOU!" He hoped Will would answer him so that he could at least find him and know what was wrong and why he was screaming. He'd protect him from whatever it was! He couldn't wait to get his arms back around his love!

* * *

Prue heard Will yelling at the top of his lungs. She turned in his direction and saw him running with a silver sword, heading straight for Brendan. Oh my Gods! He's lost his mind! she thought. He wants to kill Brendan! I can't let him do that! Before she realized what she had done, Prue had thrown out her hand to stop Will and he had been thrown backwards.

Prue frantically turned to look back at Brendan, hoping he'd stayed but fearing that he had disappeared. Sure enough, he was gone, and she knew not where he had ran to this time!

* * *

Ace coughed roughly, and his eyes flashed open just in time to see Kat's second fireball being lobbed off in the direction he could hear Xavier's voice coming from. "Kat, what the He-Hell!" he managed to gasp out. He could not believe Kat had just fireballed Xavier's ass! As long as he had known his beloved, she had kissed Xavier's ass, and now she had fireballed him! Ace was totally stunned!

Clyde jumped up and down, clapping his hands and screeching in glee. It had certainly taken Ace long enough to wake up, but now that his partner was awake, Clyde knew everything was going to be okay! He had watched as Kat's fireball had first barely missed hitting something in green, and her second one was now going for the old, bald geezer! Kat and Ace had had so many fights over that old, bald geezer that Clyde wondered what had changed everything! Why was Kat fireballing the geezer? He was glad to hear Ace ask the question.

It was only when Ace spoke that Kat realized why Captain had suddenly began to knead her shoulder. Her emotional eyes glanced from Ace to the fireball to Xavier, who was even now yelling to her that he hadn't meant any harm to befall Ventura. With a wave of her hand, Kat's fireballs snapped into oblivion, but she did not bother to look again at Charles. Instead, her eyes dropped to Ace, where they remained glued. "Ace! Thank Gods ye're alive!" The sight of him brought more tears to her eyes, but she did not realize that she was crying as she leaned down and gently kissed his lips.

Ace looked over at Charles even while he was kissing Kat, and his eyes told him what he was thinking: Looooser! He didn't know why Kat was fireballing him, but he hoped it meant that at last she had come to her senses and would not be running every time the damn, old Wizard hollered! Maybe it would be smooth sailing from now on, but he doubted it! He delighted in her kiss even as his hands stroked her back.

Kat forced herself to pull away from Ace, not wanting to kiss him too passionately out of fear that she might hurt him. Her eyes gazed at him in concern. "How're ye feelin'?"

"My throat hurts like Hell," he rasped out, "but I'm alive, and your kiss let me know just how much I am glad to be alive!" He wondered if the tears in her eyes were because she had fireballed Xavier or because maybe, for one second, she'd thought he was gone and she'd miss him, but he dared not ask. "What's going on, and where are we?" He struggled to sit up.

"Crap's hittin' the fan, as usual," she responded, gently helping him to a sitting position.

"And Xavier?" Ace asked.

"We're in the Council's court room."

"What Council, and what's he got to do with it?"

"_The_ Council," Kat replied, her quirked eyebrow hinting at their importance, "an' he's one o' 'em. They brought us here fer a retrial o' Salem an' his men."

"What's that got to do with us?" Ace wondered aloud. "We weren't even born at the time, and we don't personally know Salem. So why are we here?"

She shrugged. "Best I can figure, they snatched all our asses."

"Do we have any weapons?" he asked in a whispered voice. "Can we fight our way out?"

"Not exactly," she replied. "Not if the legends're true. 'Course they may have been just as much bullshit as trustin' Xavier." At Ace's questioning look, she warned him, "Ye din't want tae gi there."

"I . . . probably don't," Ace told her. "Just curious about Xavier. You swore the sun and moon set in him! Now you hate his guts enough that you were gonna blast him into oblivion?"

Kat thought quickly as to how she could explain her anger toward Xavier without telling Ace how much he meant to her. "The head lad told 'im he had a minute tae heal the injured, meanin' he could've healed me Gran'da'."

"Since when is Xavier a healer?" Ace asked. "I saw him cut his hand once, and he couldn't even heal himself, just stuck a very awkward-looking bandage on it!"

"We'll jest have tae see," Kat told him, looking back over at where Xavier very quickly looked away.

Ace reached out and took Kat's hand. "Well, the sooner they get this show on the road, the sooner we can get out of here. We've got to check on our babies."

At those words, Kat looked away from both Ace and Xavier. She bit back the tears that threatened to well again in her eyes, and for once, Captain's gentle purring beside her head did nothing to comfort her. She squeezed Ace's hand gently but remained silent.

* * *

Morph sat and held Celina, rocking her gently even as he crooned softly to her. He hoped that she would soon awaken although he feared that, when she did, she would absorb too much too fast and not be able to handle it. Sometimes, her talents overpowered her instead of her controlling them. They overwhelmed her and gave her headaches.

His finger gently traced over her face. He heard all the chaos going on around them but chose to ignore it until he heard the loud mouth from above saying that there was only one minute left for the healing. He knew that they needed more. They needed organization before they could be healed, but he didn't know where to take Celina for help and he didn't know where Katrina was.

His brown eyes searched frantically around the area that was close to them but did not see Tom nor Katrina. He wondered where Tom was and prayed that they were both alive. He wished that he could talk to Katrina like he could to Celina so that he could locate her. He and Celina often shared each other's thoughts.

Morph knew he was a bad boy most of the time, but he was glad that Celina still loved him enough to stay with him. He knew that, no matter what he did, he'd never be good enough for his beloved. His sexual inclinations were so strong that he had to fight them all the time. Even now he had trouble keeping himself from looking at the naked women that seemed to be everywhere in the room. He tried to push it away from his mind, hoping that Celina wouldn't wake up with overhearing his thought being her first thought.

Why didn't they have clothes for them? Aloud, he called upward, "We need more time and some organization, and if some one up there has clothes, we could also use them." In response, robes were pelted downward, and both masculine and feminine voices sighed reluctantly. Morph realized that they had been enjoying the show and was thankful, yet again, that his Celina was clothed.

* * *

A hand snatched one of the robes out of the air from behind Cordelia. The blonde had been using her friend's body for a shield from eyes she felt sure to be on her, and even now, as she hurriedly snatched the black robe on, she again turned toward where she felt one of the gazers to be. "Paige," Elizabeth nearly wailed, "tell your boyfriend to stop staring at me!"

"I'm not staring at you!" Carl declared. "I'd much rather look at Paige! I love Paige! You're ugly! Most of you women are ugly! But Paige is beautiful!"

He longed to be anywhere but stuck in this room, and he didn't know why they were holding him. He didn't personally know Salem, but he had been around when the trial had gone on the first time. He didn't want to see the same thing happen again. "I'm glad you got a robe on," he told Elizabeth. He still kept his head turned away from her. "You did put it on, didn't you?"

Elizabeth shoved up the long, baggy sleeves of the robe as her eyes flashed at Carl. "Why, you ugly, little Gnome -- !" she started only to be hushed by Cordelia, who her eyes snapped to instead.

"Can't you two just be happy you're alive? I don't know what happened to your dress, Elizabeth, but we have more pressing matters! At least you've heard Will's voice, but I still don't even know if Angel's alive -- " Her face scrunched in confusion for a moment. " -- or undead or -- or whatever!"

"I can take you to him," Carl said. "I saw him a while ago. He's still undead, but he's with Lorne. They may not be with us very long. Something has happened to Crys."

"Is he okay? What happened to Crystal? Have you seen Meesy? Is Lorne okay? What about Crystal's babies?"

"How about answering my question first?" Paige demanded. She was glad to see Carl and relieved that he was alive, but she was still frantic over her godmother's situation. "What do I do about Ororo?"

Carl's eyes traveled back up to where Wolverine was desperately hanging on. "I think you should orb them both down here."

"NO!" both Cordelia and Elizabeth exclaimed simultaneously.

"Why not? If we can get her down here, between all of us, we should be able to calm her." Carl looked up into Paige's beautiful eyes and smiled. "You can do it, darling. I know you can."

"If she brings her down here," Cordelia spoke, "the lightning is going to be even closer. Do you want us all to be struck by her?"

"We barely avoided it the last time!" Elizabeth commented shrilly. "Just look at our hair! That's how close it came!"

"Then go away!" Carl told them. "I will stay with Paige. We have to do something! Wolverine's going to fall!"

"If he falls, then she can orb him to safety," Cordy argued, "but if she brings Ororo down here . . . Well, you might be able to survive lightning, Carl, but she can't!"

"I'm taking you to Angel!" Carl told her. "Then you can tell him what to do, but you're not telling me what to do! Only Paige tells me what to do! Be right back, darling!" he said. He grabbed Cordelia and lifted her, bringing a shriek from her, and ran at the speed of light to take her to Angel. Depositing her beside him, he sped right back to his beloved.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Crystal left Santa's workshop at a run. She bounded down the steps and fled the building as though it was possessed of all the Demons in Hell. Tears stung her eyes, and the chilling winds whipped at her long, blonde hair. Still, she ran, passing cottage after cottage, and never stopping until she came to one that was all too familiar.

Crystal stopped and froze as still as a statue, her wide eyes staring at the gate that was around the snow-covered property. How had she gotten here, and when had they added the gate? That certainly hadn't been there when she was here! Why, there'd never been a need for gates before, or so they'd always claimed! She crept closer, careful not to step too hard upon the snow should it crunch underneath her feet and give her away. She pushed the gate, and it swung soundlessly open.

Quietly, she walked up the pathway and to the front door of the house that held so many memories for her. The yard was curiously devoid of any decorations. Not even a single snowman was to be seen, and the trees were gone, as well. She stepped up to the door but dared not knock, let alone open it. Instead, she listened to the voices inside that yelled at one another.

"WHY THE HECK SHOULD WE BOTHER?"

"CHRISTMAS IS COMING! IT'S LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY!"

"SO? IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY!"

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!" The man demanded, and Crys was glad he asked the question for she, too, wondered that.

"I KNOW! I KNOW!" the woman retorted, and Crystal could easily imagine the older, blonde woman waving her hands around to emphasize her words. "IT'S THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR! IT'S OUR HOLIDAY! IT'S EVEN OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! BUT IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY LIKE ALL THE REST OF THESE DAMN DAYS! THIS IS A LIVING HELL, CHRISTOPHER! I CAN'T KEEP LIVING LIKE THIS!"

Crystal's mouth dropped open at the next words out of the now-sobbing woman's mouth. "EVEN THE _TREES_ PULLED UP THEIR ROOTS AND LEFT US! THEY HATE US! THEY ALL HATE US JUST BECAUSE OF HER! WHERE DID WE GO WRONG?"

There was just the slightest sound of a mild struggle, and Crystal knew, without looking, that Christopher Michael Frost was pulling his wife into his arms. "I don't know, darling," he told her. "I don't know, but Crystal's been gone for years. They've got to let us live down the shame some day, Eva, but if we don't act like everything's normal, they certainly won't either."

"How can we, Michael? How can we act like everything's normal when it never will be? Our daughter turned into the only liar the North Pole has ever seen, and why? Why our daughter? Why our Crys? Why did she have to lie and turn into a little bitch?"

"I don't know, Eva. I just don't know."

"I wish she'd show up. I'd like to see her again just one last time so that I could ask her how she could do this to us," Eva Frost sobbed into her husband's chest, "how she could make her parents' lives into living Hells and never care!"

A sob broke from Crystal's mouth before she even realized that it was in her throat. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and looked fearfully back toward the door. They had heard her; they were headed right toward her! She leapt off of the porch and started running again, this time headed for the forest, and by the time that her parents opened the door, Crystal was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room**

It was all Cordelia could do to keep standing, and if not for Angel's arms quickly catching her, she would have fallen. Her head spun, and nausea rolled in her stomach. She pressed a hand to her head and the other to her stomach. "Dear Gods, what is wrong with that Gnome! Angel, he's going to get Paige fried!"

"What do you mean, Cordy, and what happened to your hair?" He had never seen her hair in such a fright. It was sticking straight out from her head. "I am glad that Carl brought you to me, but I'll tell him to slow down next time. Gnomes are the fastest creatures alive. He must have forgot what it does to humans." He helped her to sit down beside Lorne. "Crys has ran off," he informed her.

"To be quite frank, Angel, the little bugger didn't care! I haven't met any one that obnoxious since . . . since . . . since some of those darn suitors my father tried at one time!" She made a face and had to swallow to keep from barfing. "We'll find Crystal, but we can't even start on that until we can get out of here. He's going to get Paige fried, though, if she listens to him and brings Ororo down to her! She already shot at the three of us! She would have hit Elizabeth if I hadn't knocked her out of the way!"

"Somebody has to get Ororo down from there," Angel told Cordy, "and it's going to take some one who can use magic on her. I'm sorry Carl manhandled you too roughly, but I'm glad you're here with me now. I'll speak to him about it later."

Cordelia shook her head but did not continue on the same topic. If Paige ended up listening to Carl and getting struck by lightning, she'd have no one to blame but Carl and herself. She had, after all, tried to warn her. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on Lorne's shoulder. "We _will_ get her back." Then, looking up at Angel, she added, "And I'm glad you're . . . huh . . . still undead and that we're together again too." She managed a weak, trembling smile, but then her face flushed. Pressing a hand over her mouth, she jumped up and ran from them.

Angel did not pursue her. One of the smells he definitely did not like to smell was that of vomit. He'd give her time to get over it, and then he'd go after her. He had no intention of her going with him and Lorne, but at the present time, did not know how he and Lorne were going to leave and how they were going to do it and leave both her and the animals behind. He did not want to jeopardize their lives, and if he could have gone on his own, leaving Lorne behind, he would have. Lorne wasn't a fighter, but he had every right to be there to try and stop Crys from her madness.

* * *

Tom had awoken to chaos, and his tail had been twitching ever since. He was scared to move, scared to open his eyes and find that he was blind, scared to try to contact Katrina only to find no answer on the other end of their telepathic link. He was afraid, and he had never been more afraid in his entire life. He was going to have to open his eyes sooner or later, he thought, and figure out just what exactly was going on and where he was and somehow find Katrina.

Sooner or later . . . . Later, and in the mean time, he would pray. Pray for his beloved Katrina's survival. Pray that Morph and Celina also lived. Pray for a happy reunion and safe passage through this latest chunk of insanity in their piratical lives. Pray for his Katrina to be safe, alive, and well.

Tom was so lost in his fear and prayers that he did not even realize the whisper he sent through their link. I love you, Katrina. Please, dear Bast, please let her be alive. I love her so much. I can't live without her. I love her! Winds ripped over his furry body, and his tail continued to twitch in its own storm.

* * *

Wolverine had managed to finally reach 'Ro's lips. He clung to her even as he kissed her cheek, talking to her softly, trying to soothe her down. Just as he thought he had her, she bucked again, and he slid all the way down to the foot. He knew he wasn't going to last long if some one didn't help him soon. He prayed somebody down there would do something to get them down. What he was trying to do was not working as 'Ro had definitely gone over the deep end this time.

When Carl had reached Paige, his eyes were still glued on Wolverine. He saw Wolverine kiss 'Ro and prayed that it worked but groaned outwardly when he saw Wolverine sliding. "Damn the strength of that woman!" he thought. "Somebody has got to knock her out!"

Paige glanced at Carl. "Prue could do it, but I can't and I'm not sure it's a good idea to bring her down here. Just because I orb her doesn't mean I can control her. It just puts her going nuts down here with us."

"Can you orb Wolverine down here?" Carl asked.

"That I can do," Paige said with a confident nod. Holding out her arms, she called out, "Wolverine." She frowned; nothing happened. "Wolverine. Wolverine. Wolverine! The man in my godmother's arms! The man on Ororo! Huh . . ." She looked at Carl for help. "Does he have any other names?"

"Not that I know of," Carl told her. "I'm going for Prue. She's in here somewhere. I'll find her." He wondered why Paige's powers were not working.

He sped around the room as fast as he could go, looking for Prue. He saw Brendan hiding in another corner and wondered what he'd done this time, but he didn't have time to stop. Besides, he had a hard enough time talking to Brendan in man form and had never tried it in Werewolf form.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

**The Council's Court Room**

Katrina was resting while her power restored itself, gazing at Faith. She hadn't said anything but was waiting for Faith to say something when an over-due and very welcome voice vibrated in her head. Tom, beloved! she called. Thank Bast you're alive and awake! She wanted to be with him as soon as possible but could not leave Faith yet.

Beloved, do you know where you are? What section of the room you're in? I have just finished healing Faith. She was in extremely bad condition. How are you? She hoped and prayed that the healing she had managed to get done on him had helped him to make a complete recovery. When he opened his eyes, she'd know more.

Though Tom's head pounded and he was filled with an inner ache he could not describe, he still wanted to shout for joy when Katrina spoke to him. Never had his love's voice sounded more beautiful or been more welcome. He never thought that she might have overheard his prayer but instead assumed that she had been searching for him telepathically and found him at last. He sped a prayer of thanks to Bast before answering his lady love. I will be fine, my heart, he assured her and refused to touch on the worries that now plagued his mind in addition to his concern for the others.

His tail twitched as he wondered if he would be able to see when he opened his eyes, if he would ever see his beloved's beautiful face again or inhale her wondrous scent, a smell that had driven him batty ever since they'd been kittens. I have no clue where we are. Do you, and are _you_ okay, my most beautiful Queen? Despite his fears, Tom could not help a small smile as he conversed with his beloved and held her lovely image in his mind.

Tom's words thrilled Katrina's heart, and she felt a shiver race up and down her spine. Thank you, Bast! she sent a prayer upward to her beloved Goddess. Thank you for keeping my Tom safe! She had not the foggiest clue of how they had spent the last night nor that the moon was full. She just felt a weariness in her body, and she figured that it was from all the fighting.

At least, Tom was able to talk to her. She remembered, with a grimace, how badly he had been hurt. She prayed now that he was healed more than he thought he was. She had felt the fear and panic in his mind and knew that, no matter how bad he ever became, she would always cling tightly to him with her love and do her best to heal him. He was her soul mate and half of her whole world. Now, in a very calm voice, she told him, I love you very much, beloved, and I am well, but I do need you to open your eyes. Give me some idea of where you are, and I will come to you.

Tom ceased breathing when Katrina told him to open his eyes. His tail went stiff, and his fur stuck out. He knew he could not argue with her, but the thought of opening his eyes and finding that he was blind terrified him. Slowly, still not daring to breathe, he forced himself to open his eyes . . .

* * *

Trent had barely managed to regain his composure and was still not seeing straight when his ears caught the sound of retching. He turned toward it, but at first, all he could see was a blur. He shook his head, and his knees buckled and almost gave way beneath him. He caught himself just in time, his hand slamming against the nearby wall to give him a steady surface to lean on.

Keep it together, Malloy, he thought to himself. Trina and Carlos are out. It's up to you to save them. He had to get back to Trina before the jaguars dined on her, but it would do him no good to try to find her until he could focus his vision at least enough to see something beyond stars.

Trent did not know how long he stayed against the wall, shaking his head and trying to clear his vision, before the stars finally parted enough to allow him to see . . . The blonde did a doubletake, and his narrowed eyes peered again at the retching creature. Dear God! He could scarcely believe it, but it _was_ a woman!

Her yellow dress was ripped and torn, and he dared not look closer lest he see something he shouldn't. Her long, dark hair seemed to have been burned by something, and it was sticking straight up from her head. Her slender shoulders shook as she retched again, and another weak moan broke forth from her throat.

What had happened to her? Trent wondered. He hadn't seen a lady throw up since the last time Trina had gotten drunk, and he'd been there to hold his sister's hair out of the way. At least, this woman didn't have that problem, but still, she needed help.

Trent knew he had to get back to Trina and Carlos, but he was still too weak to move out for them. Keeping his hand pressed against the wall, the blonde slowly made his way toward the female stranger. "Miss?" his voice sounded like a croaking frog to his own ears. "Miss? Miss, are you all right?" He knew it was a silly question to ask, but he asked it nonetheless. "What's wrong? Can I . . . Can I help you in some way?"

* * *

**Mainframe**

Enzo grunted as he began to come around. "AndrAla?" he questioned without opening his eye.

As Enzo came to, Frisket leapt for joy. He barked excitedly and edged past Bob to lick his master's face. Matrix gently swatted the dog away. "Down, boy." His eye opened, but all he could see was Frisket's wagging body.

Frisket's lolling tongue dripped saliva down on the green-skinned man even as Matrix gently but forcibly shoved him off. "Bob?" he asked. "Where are we?" He pressed a partially-gloved hand to his head. "I feel like I've been ran over by the Saucy Mare. Where's AndrAla? Is she . . . ?"

"She's going to be all right," Bob told him. "She's not too far from you. I've got to go to her now." He moved over to her even as he was talking and began to concentrate on healing her. He had not answered Enzo's question, because he had no idea where they were. The icons should have taken them home, but wherever they were, this swirling gray mist was not home! He feared that, when it cleared, they would find themselves in even deeper danger.

Matrix noticed that Bob had not answered his question about their location, but he did not press the issue. Instead, he watched Bob as he worked on healing AndrAla. Enzo got to his feet, quickly crossed the few dashes between them, and knelt beside his love. He did not touch her yet but continued to watch Bob. It had been a long time since he'd remembered the awe that Bob had struck in him as a young Sprite, but watching him heal his beloved was definitely bringing the old feelings back.

Frisket whined, and Enzo reached out and rubbed the dog's head. "It's going to be all right, boy," he told him, feeling hope again for the first time in a long time. "We're going to be fine."

Hearing Enzo's words, Bob could only pray to the User that they would be all right and that no new dangers would present themselves. He knew that the chances of that were slim to none.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room**

Will came back around to hearing his name being shouted and brayed. One voice was Donkey's, which he dismissed immediately, not caring to deal with the animal's antics when his heart was shattered. The other voice . . . Will's head snapped up from where he lay, slumped against the wall that he had been thrown at, and his brown eyes, already filling with tears, shot wide. Dear Gods, it was Jack!

In that second, as Will heard his beloved calling to him, he forgot everything else. He forgot the danger. He forgot that he was naked, his excited member already rising at the realization that his lover was there. He forgot that the sword he'd found to kill his beloved's murderer with was only inches away. He forgot that Donkey, too, was calling to him, his hooves striking hard and loudly against the stone floor as he galloped toward him. He forgot everything but the most important fact: Jack was there! Whether alive or dead, he was there!

Will leapt to his feet with the speed of a bullet shooting out of a gun and raced toward the sound of Jack's voice. He passed right by Eddie and kept going, never even looking at his self-proclaimed "father". Hot tears were already streaming down the blacksmith's cheeks when he caught sight of Jack, who seemed to be running just as hard to reach him as he was toward him.

Will doubled, then tripled his speed, and did not stop running until he collided with Jack. The whole while he had been running, he had been shouting Jack's name but never even realized that he was talking. Now, as he threw his arms around Jack and hugged him close to his naked body, Will whispered against his hair. "Oh, Jack! Thank Gods! Thank Gods! _Jack!_" He spattered kisses on Jack's hair, his face, his beard, anywhere and everywhere that his lips could reach without his arms relinquishing their hold on the Pirate's fine body . . .

* * *

After having his attention distracted by Prue, and the man he had helped her deal with though the Witch had no clue it was him, Charles finally looked back to Kitty, whose hand still hovered protectively on his shoulder. "It is all right, Katheryne. You may release me, but thank you."

Kitty nodded and stepped back, dropping her hand back to her side and unphasing both of them. Xavier was still whispering, so she knew she'd best keep her voice low. For some reason, he did not want the others knowing that he was their friend. "How are you walking?" she whispered, her brown eyes filled with curiosity.

I'll explain later, he telepathically assured her. Then, as he looked past her, Charles' blue eyes widened.

Kitty's brow furrowed at the look on Xavier's face. Wondering what in the heck he was looking at and thinking it was probably another threat, Shadowcat turned quickly around only to find Kurt kneeling, his hands clasped in prayer and his eyes tightly shut. She exchanged a look with Xavier and shrugged. "He's a Priest."

An embarrassed half-grin hid Kitty's dismay that evidently, even in the midst of chaotic danger that should have called out his Pirate side, it was still Kurt's Priest side that won out. Had she been a fool to think that they could work things out and be together? It'll have to wait till later, Pryde.

Instead of dwelling on the situation with Kurt, Kitty turned her back to him and thought to her other best friend. Ray? How're you holding up?

I'll be fine, Kitty. Really. In truth, however, Rachel lay limply in a pool of blood that was steadily oozing from the wounds on her back and wondering weakly where that healer had gotten to. He'd promised he'd heal her, but she hadn't seen him anywhere in this mess nor had she been able to find his brain. What was his name again? she wondered. She wasn't sure, but she thought it might have been Sam.

* * *

Cordelia's entire body had been trembling as she had been fighting to keep standing and not fall into her own vomit. She had been surprised that Angel had not followed her but had told herself that it was for the best. Now, though, as the waves of weakness crashed over her shaking body, she wished he was there. But it's best he not see you like this, she warned herself. Do you want to lose his love? One look at you like this, and --

Her thoughts broke off again as she vomited once more. She didn't know where her body was getting the food to spit up, but it certainly didn't show any sign of stopping. Tears stung her hazel eyes. Why did she have to be so weak! No wonder Angel hadn't come after her, or seemed more upset at the way that dratted Gnome had treated her like a sack of flour! She wasn't worth his --

Cordelia's thoughts broke off once more, but this time it was due to the masculine voice of an approaching stranger coming toward her. She flung out a hand to ward the person off. "Stay away." Her words came out as a moan.

There was a hesitation before the man's response. "I was only trying to help. My help is needed more elsewhere any way, but . . . Are you going to be all right?"

"I'll be fine," she snapped at him without meaning to. She didn't need any one seeing her like this, and she had to somehow manage to pull herself together.

"O-Okay." He sounded as unconvinced as she felt. "I'll . . . I'll leave you alone then, but if you need help, call me, and I'll try to come."

_Try_ to come? Cordelia thought. Well, he's about as helpful as Angel! No, don't think like that, Cordy. You don't want him to see you like this! You don't want any one to see you like this!

How close a look had the stranger gotten, she wondered, and just who was he any way? She looked over her shoulder to get a glimpse of the stranger and stared at the person she saw retreating. Blood was soaking out of the back of the blonde man's shirt! While keeping her mouth hidden by her arm, Cordelia called after him, "Are you sure you need to be going anywhere?"

The stranger turned back around, and his booted feet faltered. He did a quick side-stepping maneuver, and Cordelia just knew he was going to faint. He didn't, however, and actually managed to somehow keep his balance . . . albeit barely. Now that his front was to her, Cordy could see that he'd been shot and blood was pouring from his shoulder. His skin was pale, and she could see the sweat glistening on him even from the distance that she was at. "Where are you going?" she asked him. "You should be sitting down, not going off trying to be a hero or anything!"

"I'm not," he told her, and she took note of his slurred, weak voice, "but I've got to save my sister."

"From what?"

"From the jaguars."

"Jaguars?"

The man nodded and almost fell again. At that point, Cordelia was already tearing off yet another piece of her dress and doing her best to clean her mouth. She dropped it to the floor, ripped off a second piece, and began trying to clean her face as best she could. The man before her was certainly in no shape to fend off jaguars, and where had the animals come from, any way? Crys had a lioness, and there were a couple of tigers . . . but no jaguars, at least not that she'd seen. The Princess weighed her options as she studied the man. "Where are they?"

"Out there," he stumbled again as he pointed to the room filled with people and a few stray animals. "I've gotta find her and stop them before they eat her!" Deciding not to waste any more time on the woman as each second that passed was another second that the jaguars could bite Trina, Trent turned his back to Cordelia and began to head off. He'd barely taken a few steps when his knees buckled.

This time, the man went down. Despite her own weakness, Cordelia ran after him, but she knew that she could do nothing to really help him. "Angel!"

* * *

Faith had barely been aware of Jack's departure and had just scarcely sensed Katrina being distracted by something, as well. She could feel Dawson beside her, and her subconscious mind knew he was scared and unsure of what to do next. It was Salem's voice, however, that she latched on to, and his purrs that began bringing her back around.

Never before had Salem, the cat, shown such affection as he was now showing Faith, but then again, he thought, the Spellmans bitches certainly had never given him reason to show any toward them. They had always done everything they could to hurt him and never once truly wanted to help him, and now they were back to try again to make his life the living Hell that it had been. The woman beside him, though, was the exact opposite to the Spellmanss. She wasn't a Witch, but she more than made up for her lack of magical powers in her sharp, witty mind; her tough spirit; and the heart she had claimed not to have for so long.

Now, as Salem licked Faith's hair and butted his ebony cheek against her head, he prayed that she would come back around and still be there for him. He expected the others to turn against him at any time, once they figured out that he was the reason they were being held in this dreadful place, but if just one of them stood with him, he knew it would be Faith. With her by his side, he could find a way to beat the Council . . . Couldn't he? His purr hesitated in his doubt.

Her eyes were now open, but her vision was still unclear as Faith reached out a hand for Salem. She patted the cat's furry head as she spoke to him, her words coming out in a moan. "Wuzzit, Salem?"

Salem had never been happier to hear any other voice. He started to answer her but paused as she called out, without waiting for his response, "Dawson? Ya 'k, kid?" He'd let her get her bearings first, if he could, and then he would beg her, if need be, for her help. Hopefully, if she stood by him, so would the others, but regardless he'd stand a far better chance if he had Faith fighting for him. He licked her fingers and continued to purr.

Dawson was relieved to hear Faith's voice. He had moved to her side as soon as Jack had moved. He wondered where Jack had run off to but knew that the Captain could take care of whatever came across his path. Now he just wanted to gather Faith in his arms and hold her close.

Miracle of miracles, they had lived through the night, and the bastard that had made her life so miserable was dead! Did she even know that he was dead? What did she remember of the night before?

She was coming back to him, and his heart beat so loudly that he thought she could hear it. Love shone in his eyes as he gazed down into hers. "I love you, Faith." He smiled, his whole world being in his vision at the moment.

Faith reached up a hand to Dawson's cheek. She stroked his face, her fingertips running through his blonde hair. Bruises and dirt smeared his face, but his love and adoration for her, neither of which she deserved, and his innocence still shone through. She took a deep breath, her eyes gazing up into his and searching his eyes as she, too, wondered, how much he remembered of all the Hell that they had gone through.

Hell, she'd said it last night. Why shouldn't she be able to say it now? "And I . . . I . . . " She half-grinned, half-smirked tiredly. "I love you too, Dawson."

Dawson leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. "It was Hell," he told her, "but together we made it. Our love won out. We just need you to get well now, sweetheart."

He had grown up quite a lot during that night, and after having killed his beloved's enemy, he finally felt that he was a man and deserving of Faith's love. He had wondered what would finally win her love for him and had thought that it was not possible, him being what he was, but despite all the hardships and Hell they had been through, it had been a magical night and he had managed to kill the crazed enemy of Faith. He glanced at his hands and then back at her, scarcely believing that he had managed it. It did not bother him that he had blood on his hands. He only hoped that Faith would not think his hands were tainted now.

Faith's eyes followed Dawson's glance, but her eyes did not return to his gaze. Instead, they stared at the blood on his white hands. He had been innocent, but no longer. She wasn't completely sure if the blood on his hands was from Judson or another source, but she knew that he had killed Judson and had done it to save her. She had tainted him, spoiled him, taken away his innocence . . .

A nudge from Salem caused Faith to look back up at Dawson, and she saw the worry and doubt in his eyes. She shook her head, telling him to forget those worries, and reached out with her hands to his. Taking his hands to her lips, she kissed them, blood and all.

His heart stuck in his throat. Did this mean that she accepted him now and that she did not hate him because he was no longer innocent? He felt that his innocence was what had attracted her in the first place. Was he truly worthy of her now? He prayed that it was so.

He couldn't think of what to say, so he cupped her chin and then kissed her again. "Am I a Pirate now?" he asked, hope in his voice. He knew that if she said he was, the next question would be if she truly was his. That would be the most wonderful thing he could ever hear. He never wanted to lose her. He had tried with everything in him to be a Pirate, and he held his breath, waiting to hear her next words.

* * *

**Mainframe**

All Mouse could see was a thick, gray mist. She had seen a mist like this once before, and the realization of what she was seeing set even more fear into her heart. She knew that Ray was barely hanging on and was not about to add to his worries. "Ray, honey," she told him, speaking quickly in her thick drawl, "jest hang on."

"We're gonna get help. Ah don't know where the othahs are, but we'll find a way. Ah ain't gonna let ya go. Jest hang on." Holding him close to her chest, the hacker used her Vampiric strength to lift him from the ground and began to run with him. Her heart slammed against her ribs, and she prayed that the User had at least left the Principal office functional.

Her sharp ears caught the sound of familiar barking. "Frisket?" she called into the mist. If he was there, might Enzo or AndrAla be there? Better yet, could Bob have come, as well, and if he had, could his keytool possibly help Ray? Mouse knew Bob would know what to do. For a Guardian who preferred to fly by the seat of his pants, he was pretty good with plans and had always had answers when she had needed them the most.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room**

Chong was lost to everything around him as he cradled Hansel. At first, his mind had been torn between comforting Hansel and thinking over the way Bishop had fondled his member, but now, all he could think was that his baby needed him and that he had to find a way to mend back together the pieces of Hansel's shattered heart . . . or Roy's, the Chinese man thought as memories of their adventures together so long ago played through his mind.

No, he was Hansel now, Chong thought somberly. He had tossed aside the name of Roy O'Bannon when he'd decided to become a Pirate and left him behind when he'd chosen to chase after Derek the first time. Now, Derek was gone, but Hansel's heart still belonged to him.

Chong had tried calling to Hansel, had tried talking to him, had even considered kissing him but decided not to as it was no longer his kisses that Hansel craved. All he could think to do now was to hold him, and so he did. As he murmured Hansel's name repeatedly and gently stroked his blonde hair, Chong held the other man's head next to his bare chest. He remained alert for danger the whole while, however, refusing to let it sneak up on them now when Hansel was so vulnerable.

As he held Hansel and tried to distract his mind from the old longings whose intensity now seemed almost brand new by looking around him, Chong caught sight of Bishop. He shook his head. The man was still running. Bishop was drawn to him, Chong knew that, and if he could ever get the African to stop running, he might make a good distraction from the one he now found himself truly wanting . . .

But that would have to be after he'd found a way to cure Hansel's heartache or, at least, subside it for if he truly loved Derek as much as he claimed to, there would be no way to cure it save death and Chong would not allow Hansel to be killed or to kill himself. The Chinese man sighed deeply. He was in for a long ride, and for once, he wasn't looking forward to it.

* * *

The second Angel heard Cordelia's voice, he was at her side. The smell was strong on her, and he had to fight to keep from losing it himself. "I am sorry you're sick, Cordelia. I didn't think Carl would shake you up that bad. I should have known better."

Mentally, he was kicking himself for not already kicking Carl's ass for running so fast. He just had not realized how fragile human females were. After all, these were the first ones he had been around in dangerous situations outside of Faith, Xena, and Gabrielle. Those three were stronger than he knew Cordelia would ever be. Concern showed on his face, and he fought to keep the revulsion from coming out on him. As soon as he could find water for his beloved, she had to have a bath!

He looked just in front of her and saw the man laying on the floor and now attempting to get up. He did not know the man's name but thought that he looked a lot like Trina Malloy, who was Spike and Kyna's third-in-command. He walked forward and assisted the man in standing. "Don't you think it'd be better if you sat down?" he asked.

"I-I can't," Trent's voice shook as he protested.

Cordelia had followed Angel the rest of the way to Trent. Now she looked at the blonde man as though he were a disobedient subject. It was a look she had not worn in a long time, but she hoped that it might shove some sense into his brain. "You are in no condition to go anywhere," she informed him, "let alone to fight. Angel can save your sister."

Angel looked at Cordelia. "Who is his sister, and what's wrong with her?" He held on to the man, because he knew if he let go, he'd hit the floor again.

Cordelia reached out to the man, attempting to help Angel shoulder the responsibility of the stranger, as she answered him. "I don't know what her name is, but -- "

Cordelia's voice broke off as Trent struggled to stand by himself. "Trina," he moaned, his desperation clear on his face. "I've gotta get to her!"

"I know Trina," Angel told the man. "You stay here with Cordelia. I'll find her. You've lost too much blood already. Don't be moving around," he said in a voice that brooked no disobedience. He sat the man back down on the floor.

"Hope I'm not gone too long, but this is a big room and she could be anywhere. If only I had her scent -- " Then a thought occurred to him, and he sniffed the man. "His scent should be on her. I'll find her." He gave Cordelia a small smile.

Trent grabbed the male stranger's sleeve, not realizing that the jacket he wore was actually his own Captain's duster. "Please," he gasped out. "Please hurry! You're right; I can't get to her. But I can't let her die, and those jaguars are trying to eat her!"

Cordelia looked from the man she was now kneeling beside back to Angel. Her eyes met his, and in the gaze they exchanged, she assured him that she loved and trusted him and knew that he could save the day. "Be careful, love."

Angel nodded. "You too, sweetheart." With a lingering look, he left them behind. The scent led him across the room and into the chaos that was going on on the other side of the room. He saw Spike sitting, rocking, holding Kyna, and crying. What was it with Spike and he? They could never seem to hold on to a woman long enough to have a happy life! They were always getting killed or trying to kill them.

He saw a woman sitting not too far from Spike that he did not recognize as her hair and another woman were covering her face. He knew Rogue from her uniquely-colored hair, and the scent from the other woman told him that she was Kennedy. He did not approach the grief-stricken pair as he had more pressing business at the moment and no words of comfort to offer any way. He hated that Willow had been killed. She had been a friend that had lasted for a long time. The world would be a sorrier place without her. He continued on his way, hoping he would soon find Trina.

* * *

As the loud, booming voice that echoed over Kurt's head had declared that they had one moment left, Kurt had hit his knees once more. He knew there was a lot of pain and suffering going on in this holding pit, and he knew of only one being who could heal them in a split second. Why, he believed his God could even get them out of the holding pit, but that it must be yet another trial and ordeal that they had to go through before they reached the place that they must be!

Oh, Lord Hercules, please save your people! I beg of you! We need healing desperately and quickly for ve are in ze lion's den and need strength to overcome your enemies vho vould hurt your people!

He continued to talk to Herc even though he felt eyes upon himself and knew that Kitty was looking disapprovingly at him. He could not stop being his God's Priest, even though he had permission to marry now and had promised to Kitty that he was through with the Priesthood. He would explain to her later about having met his God face to face and that he could not turn Him a loose because He had delivered them from their enemy.

His lips trembled even as he talked to Hercules. He could not believe that he had been chosen to see Him face to face in his darkest hour so far. He knew that there would be more dark hours ahead of them before they would be free, but he believed that Hercules would see them through. A glow fell upon his eyes, and he opened them to see Hercules standing before him and smiling gently down at him. "Zank you for coming, Lord."

At those words, both Xavier and Kitty whirled back around. They stared at Kurt, and Lockheed cooed loudly, calling the blue Demon exactly what the others were thinking of him. Kitty glanced nervously at Charles and shrugged helplessly. "Like . . . Like I said," she whispered, "he's a Priest. 'Heed," she snapped her fingers at her dragon, "leave him alone and perch." She pointed at her shoulder.

"Ve are in deep trouble," Kurt told Him even though he knew Herc knew everything that was going on, "and a lot of us are in a great deal of pain. Vould you please heal us? I don't care if zey believe I'm crazy. Zat little, purple bugger keeps calling me crazy. I know I'm not crazy. I can see you, and I believe in you. Vould you please perform a miracle?"

Hercules smiled wistfully down at Kurt. He wished the others would not turn against the dear man but knew that they did think him crazy and that he could not prove them wrong . . . at least not yet. He gently touched Kurt's shoulder. "Thank you," he started to speak even as Kitty spoke.

Kitty had seen and heard enough. First, Kurt had flipped his lid, and now he was calling her dragon a bugger, something that no one had dared to call 'Heed since Wisdom! It was true that Lockheed shouldn't have called Kurt crazy, but heck, he had simply spoken the truth! She whirled around, turning her back on Kurt and reassuringly scratching Lockheed's head.

"Looks like you were right, dragon. I've seen enough." She glanced in Xavier's direction but shrugged off his hand and refused to meet his gaze. "I'm going to check on Ray." She walked off, leaving Charles to look over into the shadows at another figure.

The Wizard met the person's eyes and shook his head sadly. Then he telepathically reached out to Albus to see if the other Wizard had a plan for how they could handle the situation they had been tossed in and actually succeed in healing who they needed to heal. He had barely started to contact Dumbledore when a finger pointing in another direction changed his mind. He looked instead to where Wolverine was doing his best to hold on to Ororo, who was struggling just as stubbornly against him. He started to reach out to her mind.

Hercules shook His head sadly. "I am sorry they think you crazy, Kurt, but Katheryne will come around, given time. She loves you, and love can overcome all obstacles. As for your request . . . " He smiled. "I am glad you called Me." With that, He opened His arms . . .

Kurt watched in silence as Hercules' arms spread out. He knew the miracle was about to take place. He prayed that Hercules was right and that Kitty would not hate him for being crazy, because if he was crazy, he would have to stay that way. If no one else would stand for Hercules, he would, because Hercules was the only God who had ever seen fit to come face to face to and talk with him.

He had seen Aphrodite, but She was some one else's Goddess now. She had acknowledged him, but he realized now that She had not come because he had asked her to. No, She had come in answer to Jack, but Hercules had come in answer to Him and Hercules was now his one, true God. He watched even as the miracle began to happen.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room**

Jack's breath was stolen away when Will collided with him, but his arms gripped his love and his unsteady feet managed to keep them both standing. Thank you, Aphrodite, he thought even as he returned Will's feverish kisses. Thank you for keeping him alive and for apparently healing him! He did not know where Willow was, but he knew he owed her a great big thanks. Whatever she asked for, he would do his very best to give to her for she had given him the one thing he wanted more than any other: the safe return of his Will. Tears ran down his face, and he did not even realize it.

Then Jack felt his butt bumped by Donkey. "Move! I wanna hug my boy too!" Eddie insisted.

Jack looked to the side and down at Donkey and then back at Will. "He has done everything he can to get to you. He loves you very much, and I have changed my opinion on donkeys." He then winked at Donkey.

Will's eyes searched Jack's. He was afraid to let him go, but one look at Donkey's pleading, tear-streaked face had Will putting his free arm around the animal's neck and pulling him close. He hugged Donkey tightly but kept a hold of one of Jack's hands. His lips brushed Donkey's skinny coat as he whispered to him, "It's good to see you, Eddie, but I didn't want you to die too."

"Die?" Eddie asked in surprise. "We aren't dead, but we're in court! We could swing! I hope not! I might never get to see Elvira again, but at least I got my boy!" He gave Will a slobbering kiss before looking back to Jack. "So, Captain, what do you mean you changed your mind? You gonna let me sleep in the cabin now?" he asked with a raised brow and a bouncing rear.

Jack smiled at him, his gold tooth shining. "Depends on what Will and I are doing, but I won't be throwing you out if we're not . . . " He searched for a word. "Well, you know . . . "

"Wait a minute!" Will protested. "What do you mean we're not dead?" He still had not relinquished Jack's hand.

Both Jack and Donkey looked at Will as if he'd taken leave of his senses. "What makes you think we're dead?" Eddie asked him.

"I saw that damn Werewolf throw Jack to his death! I jumped after him! That's how we're dead, but what happened to you?" Will inquired of Donkey.

"Faith threw me in the water, and then a big mouth ate me! That's the last I remember till I woke up here! There's a Demon in here somewhere! He was after me, and I barely escaped with my life!"

Will still wasn't sure they weren't already dead, but he couldn't help asking Eddie, "Which Demon?" His words came out, however, at the same time that Jack spoke.

Jack slipped off his jacket and gave it to Will. "Wish I had more to give you. We'll get you something else soon." He had not seen the robes thrown down. "It was an accident. Brendan did not mean to knock me. He's probably somewhere thinking I'm dead and wanting to kill his own self. We'd best find him before he does it."

"I am so glad that you're alive, Will! I thought, when I came to and you were nowhere to be seen, my life was over! Without you, I have no reason to live! Not even the sea calls me as much as it used to, not like your heart calls to mine!" Jack smiled at him, again flashing his gold tooth. "In a world that you're not in, I don't want to be in, but in a world where we're both in it, may the Gods have pity on our enemies!"

Jack's words brought a smile to Will, and new tears sprang to his eyes. These tears were tears of happiness, but still he wasn't sure they weren't dead. After all, he had seen Jack been thrown to his death, and he could not, for the life of him, fathom how in the world they could have managed to escape. He squeezed Jack's hand even as his other hand pulled his coat closer around him. "I never thought I could compete with your mistress before," he admitted to him, "but I feel the same, my love. That's why I followed you when I saw you fall to your death. I could not, and will not, live in a world without you for you are everything . . . " He paused at the loud clearing of Donkey's throat. "Well, the both of you are everything to me," he amended, not wanting to hurt Eddie's feelings.

Jack didn't say a word but pulled Will in for a kiss. He pressed his lips gently at first but then deepened his kiss even as he felt his sword stir and knew that it would have to wait. He had to get control of it before it got control of him, and it certainly didn't help that he could feel Will's sword pressing against him! He knew that it might be a long time before Will would ever want to be touched that way again. After what he had been through, it might not ever happen again. Jack had never known a man to actually live through the Pear, and Will had done that. Even if Jack had to wait a million years, he'd never want any other. He felt his kiss deepening even more, and he pulled back.

Eddie looked on and grinned, but that grin faltered when he saw a frown pass with the speed of light over Will's face. Something was still wrong with his boy, Donkey realized, and that thought was only made more certain when Will did not recapture Jack's mouth with his own.

* * *

**The Island**

Sam stirred as he came back to consciousness. It seemed he had been out forever, and he had one Hell of a hangover without having drank one single drop. He looked around and saw that he was laying on a snow-covered beach with a few others. He wondered where every one else was. Had they drowned, and these were the only remaining survivors? He got shakily to his feet and began to walk toward the bodies he could see.

The children. What were their names? he asked himself as he gazed down upon them. Something special about the boy tried to jog his brain, but he couldn't remember. Then the name came to him: Julian. He knelt down beside them. He gazed on the little girl, and her name, Sarah, came to him. He laid one hand on each of them to check for injuries. Finding nothing more than a few bruises and bumps, he shook them gently and called their names. He was happy to see their eyes flash open. He hoped their parents had survived the nightmare.

Julian sat up and looked at the man. His hand went immediately to his sister, who sat up and smiled at Sam. "Where's my Daddy?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Sam told them, "but I'll take care of you until we find him."

Julian looked at him. "You don't know where either of our fathers are?"

Sam hunched on his heels, studying the little faces before him. "You have two different fathers?"

"Yes. Aren't we lucky!" Julian told him. "There's our father Lex and our father Clark!"

Sam searched his mind, trying to remember the two men. He could recall the women's faces easier than he could the men's, and he wondered which woman was bedding two men. The only one he could think of was the dark-haired woman, and then he recalled that she had a third man -- the blonde! "Is Dawson your father too?"

"Why would Dawson be our father?" Sarah asked.

"Just wondering." Had the woman had the two kids and then moved on to a third man, or did he have the wrong woman? "Who's your mother? Aren't you worried about her?"

"We don't remember our mother," Julian informed him. "At least Sarah doesn't much. She died a long time ago, right after Sarah was born. We're just very lucky and have two fathers."

"Well, first thing we need to do is to get you two somewhere warm. I don't know where we're at. I'll get my bearings shortly, I hope." He thought to himself. He did not have the foggiest idea where to orb them to and knew that they would have to walk until they found somewhere.

A shadow fell across them, and both kids gasped, their eyes going as round as saucers. A voice so low that it was barely audible came from behind Sam. "From what I have been able to deduce thus far, I believe we may be back on the island."

Sam got to his feet quickly and turned to face the newcomer even as he fought to keep from retching. This creature was definitely not human and came out of somebody's nightmare! "Who are you?" he asked even as he pulled both kids behind him.

"Raziel." The Vampire smiled, but there was no warmth in his smile. It was a thin smile, just enough Sam knew to grant him assurance. "I am a crew member aboard the Ghost or was, at least."

"What makes you think we're on an island? Is it the island you were on earlier or a different one, and how did we come to be here?" He gazed up into Raziel's face, letting him know he was not afraid. After all, he was a White Lighter. He could simply orb out of danger's way, taking the kids with him.

The Vampire returned his gaze coolly, studying the gray-haired White Lighter as he did so. "It is an island," he told him confidently, "and I suspect it may well be the same one. I awoke earlier and did some scouting before returning to see who still lived. I do not think there are too many islands left where dinosaurs still roam." He reached up to his shoulder and plucked something from it with claws that were yellow in color but sprinkled with blood. "I brought you dinner." A couple of large hares dropped to the snowy ground before Sam's feet. "Make do with it." He moved away and was gone before Sam could speak again.

Sam turned to look at the kids and then back at the hares. "If we are on your island, then I will take you to the house. There should be some good food left there." He turned his back on the hares and did not look back, but, taking both trembling kids by the hand, orbed them to the safety of the house.

Raziel watched them leave from the shadows of the trees.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room** With his back to Kurt, Charles had no idea what was happening with the Priest. He had put the situation with Kurt and Kitty, and even with the others who were injured, completely out of his mind in favor of handling one who had once been like a daughter to him. Ororo, he spoke within her mind.

Though Charles spoke telepathically to her, it was aloud that Ororo answered him. "CHARLES!" Thunder blasted with her cry.

Wolverine's eyes went slowly up to look at his beloved's face. Who was this Charles she was calling for, and where was he? He sniffed the air but could not find him. Was there something up here with them? He growled nervously.

Charles' voice was smooth and calm in Ororo's mind, and it resonated in her brain, past her fear, and to her heart. Yes, it is I, Ororo. Things are not as you fear, my child, and you must calm yourself. I am here to help and will allow nothing to harm you. I am not the only one concerned for you, however. Do you feel something heavy weighing upon your feet?

Ororo's feet twitched, and one foot nearly kicked Logan. Yes, she replied hesitantly, I . . . I do.

That, my dear child, is Logan. He is trying so hard to help you.

But I thought . . .

You are no longer a child, Ororo, and you are not trapped by the bodies of your family. Open your eyes, dear one, and you will see the light.

As the Weather Witch's storm seemed to pause, as though it were holding its breath much as she was, a light exploded from behind Charles. Xavier turned around to see where the light was coming from even as Ororo's blue eyes opened. She took in first the light and then Charles. "Goddess!" She turned in the air, trying to get a look below her to her feet. "L-Logan?"

Wolverine gulped. "Yes, little darlin', it's me. Is it over yet?" It had been the wildest ride Wolverine had ever had, and he sure hoped it was at the end! He had never looked at the floor more longingly. "I love you!" he called up.

Heat spread up Ororo's neck and flushed her dark cheeks. "And I you," she murmured, her embarrassment clear in her voice. Slowly, she began to lower them toward the floor even as the light continued to spread. Charles, you are right, as always, my friend. You can stop with the light now, although it is an interesting trick to be sure.

Xavier's voice was hesitant as he responded, Ororo, . . . it is . . . I am not . . . I did not cause the light. He himself was completely engulfed in the brilliant, golden light now, and his wide eyes could see nothing but the light. From somewhere, he heard a man's voice yell his name, but the man fell into the light and could not find his way to save Charles.

What his would-be rescuer did not realize, however, was that Charles was never in danger for the light was coming from Hercules' open arms and spreading quickly over the entire floor, touching each and every individual . . .

Kurt bowed his head to the floor in reverence even as he felt the golden light go over him. How wonderful and miraculous was his God!

Above them, a voice called out, "WELL DONE." They heard a smattering of hands even as the light engulfed the entire floor.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

**The Council's Court Room**

Vang was still mightily upset when Zora reached him. She slowed her pace to a casual walk as she slid up to him and butted her head against his. She rubbed her head against her feline father's, purring deeply and reassuringly. Even as she rubbed against him in their version of a hug, her green eyes turned toward Connor. She was proud of him and touched that he had reacted so quickly to protect Vang, who she had just recently come to learn was closer to being her father more than ever before.

Connor wanted to reach out and pet Vang on the head but was afraid that the big cat wouldn't like it. "Sorry about that," he said. "If I'd had a sword, I'd have run that damn boi through. I've been chasing after him for most of my life! I really hate him!" He smiled at Zora and then looked in Vang's direction and smiled at him, as well.

"He only picked on you, because he wanted to get Dad's attention." He knew that for a fact as Pan had often done things in the past to get his poor father's attention. He was only sorry that now he was picking on his extended family, as well. One day, he vowed, that dratted boi will get his.

Zora could not help the disappointment she felt that Connor had only rushed to intervene because of the feelings between his family and the green-clad imp. She pushed the feeling quickly aside though, vowing silently that if she ever got a chance to get a claw on that damn child, there would be nothing left of the thing to bother her family nor Connor's. She purred again to Vang, then returned to business with a low, informative growl.

"Why's Zora mad at me?" Connor asked Vang. "If Pan had realized that you're part of my family, he would have made it a lot harder on you. You don't know the things he's capable of. I really didn't know what to do, Vang. If I'd had a weapon, then I would have killed him; he angered me so for daring to touch you!" Connor still felt inclined to pat Vang, but he wouldn't dare.

Had Zora been in her human form, her mouth would have fallen open at Connor's words. Instead, her furry jaw gaped slightly open, her shining, green eyes looking at Connor in clear surprise. A warm, fuzzy feeling glowed in her heart.

Vang wasn't sure if Connor was picking up on Zora's emotions in truth or if he'd simply taken her growl to mean that she was upset with him. Regardless, however, he thought with a swish of his long, striped tail that he instantly regretted and grimaced over, he was proud of the boy and would have to let Connor know that he could get his hands on him later. "You did well, Connor. That was not the situation she was referring to." He rubbed his cheek against Zora's before pulling away and commanding, "Lead the way."

"Where are we going?" Connor asked as he fell into step beside them. His hand absently slipped over to Vang's head, and he timidly petted him even as they walked.

* * *

Roxanne was just succeeding in stopping the blonde woman's blood flow when she felt a stranger approaching. Her hands were still on the blood-soaked cloth she'd torn from the dress she wore when she looked up at the newcomer. Her jaguars reacted in that same second, and three sets of eyes studied the dark man together. Roxanne's brown eyes flashed yellow as she acknowledged him, "Vampiro." Her jaguars' coats ruffled, and low growls came from their throats as they suddenly flanked Roxanne. Sasha took a step further, and Yasmine looked at her mate before taking two steps further.

Roxanne's gaze had not left the man. "Espera," she called to her pets. "Veamos lo que desea, pero sea listo pounce." The blood had probably drawn it, but she remembered the Vampire as one of their prisoners and was willing to give him a half second to see if he was a true threat or something else.

She had now turned from her patient and was crouched between her familiars instead. Her back arched, she was ready to spring into a pounce attack on the Vampire at a heartbeat's notice. She purposefully arched a single eyebrow at him as she spoke again, this time in English. "What do you want?"

* * *

The very second Wolf and Elvira reached Delvira and Jareth, who were still wrapped in a tight embrace, Elvira questioned her sister, "We're where I think we are, aren't we?"

Delvira nodded against Jareth's head, and her black eyes opened to look into her twin's. She had managed to do away with her own tears at last out of the determination that she should not allow her husband to see her crying least her tears increase his own. Though her eyes no longer sparkled, Elvira could read her sister like a book and knew her heart was on the verge of breaking. "Yes."

"Why?" Elvira asked even as her own arms ached to hug her sister tightly.

"We are facing a retrial."

"But why?"

"There are those who would help and thought a retrial would do so. It should not have been now, but it is. They may condemn him again to the Labyrinth or . . . or . . . something . . . something worse . . . " she managed at last.

"What can I do to help?" Elvira queried, forgetting that Wolf was standing beside her and feeling that it was up to herself, Delvira, and Jareth to find a way to keep him from being condemned.

Deep sadness flickered in Delvira's dark eyes. "I would stand beside him, but I doubt they will allow it. They probably will not allow you to, either, so all that is left . . . " The thought that she would fight to the death to save her husband caused Delvira to rephrase her words. "All you can do to help, dear sister, is . . . pray."

Delvira spoke the word with such helplessness that Elvira knew that praying would do them no good or, at least, that was what Delvira believed. She had prayed for Wolf's safety, though, and some Power had helped them to get through the night, alive and well. She reached out, placing her hand on Delvira's where it laid on Jareth's shoulder, so close to his neck that Elvira could feel tendrils of his blonde hair on her pale skin. She gave her sister's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'll be with you every step of the way," she vowed.

* * *

Xena and Gabrielle had not been too long set out from Joxer and Autolycus when Gabby's green eyes caught sight of an approaching figure. With fried hair sticking out from her head, a face full of bleeding cuts, and blood spattered over the big, black robe she wore, the woman looked more like a walking corpse than the Governor's daughter she truly was. Gabrielle reached out, catching Xena's wrist, as she nodded in the direction of the woman. At the same time, she called back over her shoulder to where she knew Autolycus was still within hearing distance. "AUTOLYCUS, I BELIEVE WE'VE FOUND YOUR WOMAN!" She wished she had her bag of herbs so that she might help Elizabeth, but as it was, there was very little she could do.

Xena stepped forward to greet Elizabeth, but before she could reach her, she could tell that Elizabeth was about to pass out. She scooped her up and carried her to where Autolycus was limping toward them. "Put her down here, Xena," he told her, and he knelt down beside her.

Autolycus couldn't believe how bruised and battered Elizabeth's skin was. He was extremely thankful that she had lived through the night, and he remembered back to the bitch who had done this to her. He recalled, too, that he owed a debt of gratitude to Faith as she had finished the job he had started when he had been unable to and also saved his life. He also owed a debt to Donkey, who had carried his beloved to safety. He didn't know what he could do now to pay them back, but in the future, he would try very hard. Elizabeth was his whole world.

He talked to Elizabeth as though she was the only one there. "Thank the Gods you live, Elizabeth! I tried to kill the bitch for you! I did my best; it just wasn't enough! If it hadn't been for Faith, I wouldn't be here now! We both owe her a lot. Thanks, Xena." Then he looked at Gabby helplessly, hoping that she could help in some way.

Joxer had moved up to stand beside them and looked down, not knowing what to do. Then his eyes, too, went to Gabby. He knew she had the power to heal, but he had no idea where her bag was.

Gabrielle's mind was quickly going through what few options she had left to her. She could not do much of anything without her herbs, but she could at least stop the bleeding. She had noticed more blood coming from Elizabeth's back when Xena had carried the blonde to Autolycus, but she knew that one look at what Elizabeth's back was probably like would set Joxer into fainting. Luckily, as she'd trailed after Xena, she'd also caught sight of Phoebe holding and rocking Kit . . . at least, she thought that was what the Siamese cat's name was.

The bard cleared her throat as she edged past Joxer to stand between Xena and Autolycus beside Elizabeth. "Joxer, you go to your Phoebe," she'd barely started to speak.

"Phoebe! Where's Phoebe!" Joxer seemed to have new life breathed into him as he looked eagerly at Gabby now.

Gabrielle pointed to where Phoebe was sitting on the floor, but before she could get the warning out she'd intended to give Joxer, the self-proclaimed warrior was gone, half-running, half-tripping on his way.

* * *

Zora had turned her back to the guys and walked a few paces ahead as she regathered her bearings. She'd taken off so fast after Vang that it took her a second to remember exactly which direction she'd come from. Now, as Vang bumped his head against Connor's hand and gave a low rumble from his throat, Zora caught sight of what she was looking for. She growled, her tail striking the air as she alerted Vang. That was the only sign she gave before breaking out into a full run for the crab, cat, and tiger cubs that were still being whipped around in the air. She heard Sebastian's words as the crab cursed her in French for leaving him and growled snappily back at him even as she leapt into the air.

"We'll be right back," Vang assured Connor before racing after his daughter. His muscles tensed as he bunched down for a leap, and then he, too, jumped into the howling winds.

Connor raced forward and made a leap, jumping further than he expected to. He caught the brown and white cat who barked at him. "Calm down, Wolfie. Everything's going to be all right," he said even as he landed back on his feet. He stroked the cat. "We've been through a lot this night, but we'll make it together." He looked back to see if Zora and Vang had obtained their targets.

Zora had had to curb her instincts to go after the cubs first in order to do her duty and head back after Sebastian instead. As her sharp teeth again closed with care around Sebastian's already-sore tail, bringing another string of French from the crab and the snapping of claws, she felt something hard hit her rear. No sooner had the heavy object landed on her rear than tiny teeth grabbed hold of her own tail. The surprise of the impact almost caused Zora to roar, but she caught herself right before she could open her mouth. In that moment, she bit down harder than she'd intended to on Sebastian, who let out with an even louder string of French and Jamaican curses. His claws came just barely short of missing her as she landed on her paws.

Vang had seen the situation with Zora as the female cub landed on her haunches, but there was nothing he could do to help her as he himself was headed in another direction. His teeth clamped down on the scruff of the male cub's neck, and he took him with him as he descended to the floor. It seemed to Vang that they had no sooner returned to the floor when the winds suddenly stopped. He looked up, uncertain if he should expect some actual good news, for a refreshing change, or more bad. The warning in his gut proved to be as accurate as ever as he saw a brilliant light heading for them.

The winds had stopped, and Connor had moved closer to his family when a golden light began to come toward them. "**_RUN!_**" he told Zora and Vang. "We must get away before it catches us!" He paused only long enough to allow them a chance to go before him, but even so, he could tell that they would not escape the light as it was moving fast and bathing everything in its golden glow.

Zora would never have gone first if she had not had such precious cargo, but as she carried a cub on her back, she tossed Sebastian over her shoulder to where the cub lay. The crab reacted quickly, holding the cub with one arm and holding on to Zora's fur with his other set of pinchers. She took off running, her empty mouth now shouting a roar of warning to Connor's parents and brother who also were not too far away.

Vang's head butted into Connor's bum, telling the boy, in no uncertain terms, to move his ass. He took up the rear.

* * *

Angel's eyes took in the scene before him: two jaguars and a feral, wild woman, all ready to attack him if he made the slightest wrong move. He held his hands palm forward toward them to show that he had not come with attack on his mind. Behind them, he could see Trina Malloy, covered in blood and unconscious. "I have come for the woman. She is a friend. I mean you no harm."

The three pairs of eyes continued to study Angel's every movement. "Then you can wait, Vampiro," Roxanne returned, her disdain obvious, "until I have finished mending her. I am a doctor."

"Her brother is in very bad condition and is straining to come after his sister. He fears that you meant harm to her. He said your cats were trying to eat her. I see no evidence of this. Are you, in truth, a doctor? If you are lying to me and damage the woman, there will be Hell to pay."

Roxanne kept the stranger's gaze. "I have no reason to lie to you. I only tolerate you because of what my crew members did to you and your people." She saw the flicker of emotions pass with the speed of lightning through his gaze. "I will not harm you unless you press my hand, but I warn you. I have no use for males, and should I choose to attack you . . . " Her jaguars growled and swished their tails as she snapped her fingers. "It will be over like that. As for the woman, I am a doctor and would never intentionally harm such a lovely lady."

"You're one of . . . " He paused. "Which ship?" he asked.

"The Saucy Wench. I know what they did to you. I did not approve of it then nor do I now. I had no hand in that. If the catwomen are around, you can ask them for my credentials."

"The catwomen's names are Katrina and Celina. I have not run across them yet, although I know they are here. Trina is definitely not of your ilk. She has been pursued by males since she was in diapers, and she definitely is not unresponsive to their ventures."

"I am not afraid of your cats. I could call cats of my own if it came to that." He snapped his fingers. "That quickly, they would come." He prayed that Vang would respond that quickly. "But it should not come to that," he told her. "Continue on with your work. Why would her brother think the cats wanted to eat her?"

She could read his doubt like the cover on a book. "Because he is a fool," she half-spat, half-hissed the words, her eyes once more flashing predatorial yellow. "My Sasha is adept at picking out bullets, among other things." She picked up the bullet that Sasha had picked out of Trina's body and thumped it at the Vampire. "That is what he saw Sasha digging out of his sister's shoulder."

"That must have been a sight," Angel spoke in admiration. "Never seen anything like that. I've watched doctors in the past, most especially our ship's doctor, and you never have an easy task." He stepped back one step to show that he was not meaning danger toward her. "Will it be safe to move her after you've finished?"

"Si," she responded, her eyes never flickering nor moving from the Vampire's. "I will carry her to her brother when I am finished."

"I will wait and escort you," Angel told her, "but why do you insist on carrying her? Do you fear that I will hurt Trina?" he asked with puzzlement on his face. He knew fully well part of what she was thinking and was waiting for her attack at any moment.

"I have no need of an escort," she returned, "and if you want my continued aid in healing your people, you will leave me to my work."

"I promised Trent," he spoke, the man's name finally coming to him from conversations he'd had before with Trina, "that I would bring his sister back. I fear that, if I return empty-handed, there will be no restraining him. He is beside himself with worry. She is his twin."

"I have already met this Trent you speak of. There is no need to restrain him; the simpleton could not fight his way out of a wet paper bag. As for your promise, what should that matter? It is, after all, the promise of a male."

* * *

Joxer reached Phoebe and threw his arms around her. He began to kiss her rapidly before he could slow himself down. "Oh, my beautiful Phoebe! Thank Gods you're alive!"

With a frantic meow, Kit squirmed out from between Joxer and Phoebe and ran from the embracing couple. "Don't . . . go . . . far!" Phoebe managed to warn her family's cat through kisses with Joxer. Then, clasping Joxer's face in both hands, she grinned up into his face. "Thank Gods _you're_ alive!" she told him. "I was worried, Joxxy!" Her lips then conquered his.

* * *

The first thing Tom saw when he opened his eyes was a brilliant light. His heart leapt in relief and joy, and a grin shot wide over his furry, orange face. Even his tail swished in happiness for he could see! He could actually see! His joy at his miraculous recovery was short-lived, however, as the light engulfed his world.

Katrina almost stopped breathing when the light hit Tom and washed over him. Oh my Goddess! she breathed. Please let him be all right! Tom, my darling, please speak to me! Are you all right!

What was the thing that had hit him, she wondered, and where was it? She jumped to her feet and looked wildly around. She could see it, and it was heading in their direction. They could not run fast enough to get away from it, and she knew it was only seconds before it hit them. I love you, my Tom! she spoke to him one last time even as she stood steadfast, waiting to meet her fate.

* * *

Sean had been holding Emma close to his side where he sat on the floor. He was afraid something bad had happened to her mind as she still had not woken from her ordeal. Until she woke up, he would not know anything. Had that awful creature completely mind swiped her? Would she know him, or would her brain be a complete jell? He closed his eyes and continued to pray for his beloved. He did not know when the light reached them and passed over them except for the fact that he felt a warm glow in its aftermath.

* * *

Morph's arms had grown to wrap around Celina's entire body when she'd started having the fit he'd known would come. He knew he had to somehow calm her, but so far, he was having no luck whatsoever. He kept his arms wrapped around the length of her squirming body, ignoring her claws as they struck him, and continuing to hold her with just enough firmness to keep her from breaking away from him.

With his arms holding hers to her body, he was able to press a kiss to her furry forehead but jerked his head back as she snarled out at him. That snarl affirmed that she had no idea what was truly happening for all the pain, fear, horror, and devastation that was impounding her from the others. He wished that he could somehow take her away from this place but knew that that was impossible and that his one chance of helping her was to somehow reach her.

His arms squeezed her, applying just slightly more pressure to his hold in order to hug her, and he tried again to speak to her. "Celina! Celina, my love, you've got to calm down! It's me! It's Morph! All that you're feeling is from the others! I . . . " Her yowl broke him off just as the light engulfed them.

* * *

Carl was walking with Prue toward the spot where he had left Paige trying to figure out how to get Ororo down when a howl suddenly met his ears. The Gnome jumped into a defensive position that put him closer to the floor, but before he could even figure out what was happening, something dark and furry had sped by and Prue was no longer by Carl's side! He sniffed and then called after the blur.

"Hey, Brendan! Put Prue down! You shouldn't even be around her right now!" He started to go after them, but something caught his eye. Turning around, the Gnome's eyes shot wide at what he saw. He hit the floor and started to dig but was not fast enough as the light reached him before he'd even broken the surface.

* * *

Jasmine looked up as the light rushed at her. "Ooh!" she exclaimed. "What a pretty light!" Wesley barely had time to digest her words when the light washed over them.

* * *

Wolf stepped forward. "What do you mean they will not allow Elvira to stand for him? What can I do to help, and what is this stand?" He looked at Delvira.

Jareth slipped his free arm around Elvira and pulled her closer into the group hug. He looked at Wolf, and with a half smile, welcomed him with a nod. He didn't know where to begin explaining to Wolf about this trial.

He knew more about Wolf's history than the others. He knew that Wolf had been pursued and tried several times and that many of his people had been killed simply because they were Werewolves and no one had stood for them. He also knew that Werewolves had been pardoned by King Wendell and didn't figure that Wolf wanted to get too far into this situation.

He thought Wolf was only in for the free ride with Elvira. After all, his sister-in-law was very loose with her charms. He loved her dearly but didn't know how much Wolf was involved. Would he turn and run now at the sign of danger?

He didn't think Elvira would be allowed to stand, either. After all, she was the twin of his wife, and they probably didn't separate the two in their small minds. He let Delvira do the talking as he was not sure if his voice would crack or not and, being who he was, he couldn't allow that to happen.

Elvira was surprised when Wolf spoke, wanting to know if he could help, and even more surprised when Jareth pulled her into his hug with Delvira. The gesture touched her self-proclaimed black heart and brought tears springing to her eyes, tears that she dared not let fall for she knew that, if she started crying, Delvira would start crying, and if Delvira started crying, Jareth would also be crying. The last thing they needed right now was a cry-fest. What they needed was answers, answers that she had no idea of and that she knew Delvira also did not have.

"They seemed to think," Delvira spoke, trying to keep her voice firm and even and failing as it continued to tremble from time to time, "that it would help if they could somehow convince Jack and his people to stand beside those of us being retried. If such would be similar to cases I've read about before, whatever happened to the one being tried would also happen to the one standing for him. They will not allow family to stand for one another or else I'd stand for Jareth or even Elvira might although I could never ask her to."

"I would," Elvira spoke, looking at Delvira and Jareth both. She had never felt this close to her brother-in-law before, always feeling that her visits came as a nuisance that delayed their love-making, but at last, she felt his love, as well, and did not want to let him go.

"So what you're saying," Wolf said with a very grave look on his face, "is that, if some one stands beside Jareth, he's sort of his conscience and helps him to stay out of trouble and, if Jareth fails to stay out of trouble, they both get punished?"

"Y-Yes," Delvira answered with a slow nod.

"They could even be killed?" Wolf asked as he gulped. His memories of other Werewolves being killed were very strong in his mind at this time. He knew of some who had been in trials and had been killed just because they were Weres and for no other reason.

Jareth's bi-colored eyes met Wolf's as he wondered what the other man was thinking. "The Council does not normally kill. That is one of their lighter punishments."

Wolf's eyes did not flicker as he stared back into Jareth's. "I will stand by you. One day, you're going to be my brother-in-law, but today, we are not kin so they can not prevent me from standing by you." He smiled at Elvira and Delvira. "She hasn't said yes yet, but I asked her."

* * *

It had taken everything Smee had left in him not to look up as all the chaos going on with first James and then Vang had happened. He had managed to keep his gaze pinned on the floor, however, and had yet to look up at James or Frederic, who stood protectively beside his better father. The two had been silent for some time, and Smee hadn't known what they were doing. He could imagine Frederic looking around for signs of trouble, but he could also imagine James seeking out more women which only broke the shattered pieces of Smee's heart even more. Smee was fighting tears again when a new roar, this one filled with frantic warning, met his ears.

Smee sniffled and glanced sideways toward the roar. He could see a blur of something that he couldn't quite make out, but he could definitely see the brilliant light that was chasing the blur . . . and then engulfed them. Smee didn't know where the light had come from for certain, but he did realize that it had to be even more danger. In fact, it probably carried with it some horrible curse from the Council.

That thought had barely entered Smee's mind when he realized where the light must be headed. The realization gave Smee the strength and agility to react faster than he ever would have believed he could have, now that he carried around several dozen pounds of lard with him. He leaped upwards and jumped onto James, knocking him on the ground and covering him with his portly body. He had already been screaming, but now his scream became actual words. "LEAVE JAMES ALONE! TAKE ME! TAKE ME! TAKE ME!"

Underneath Smee, James frantically scrambled, trying to get himself free so that he could see what danger was coming now. What could possibly have set Smee off when he had been sitting so quietly, almost as though he did not even know where he was at? He managed to get his face out from under Smee only in time to see a golden light coming directly at them. "What the -- !" he managed to gasp, his mustache shooting straight out, before it hit them.

It didn't hurt. Whatever the light was, it filled him with a pleasant, tingling glow and then continued on without leaving them. He pulled one hand out and looked at it. It seemed to glow all on its own. He reached down and touched Smee, who was golden, as well, and then he saw that the others, who had finally reached them, were golden. "What is it?" he asked wonderingly.

"I don't know what it is," Smee retorted, "but they're doing something! Stay under me!" He shoved his belly down upon James and tried to get his head back under him, as well. Then, he yelled back up, "WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, LEAVE THEM ALONE AND DO IT TO ME! I'LL TAKE IT ALL! I'M NOT WORTH ANYTHING ANY WAY, SO JUST DO IT TO ME!" He quivered against James, and his red nose sniffed as he fought to hold back tears. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

* * *

Gabrielle gestured with her head to Xena. "Turn her over."

Xena gently turned Elizabeth over and winced as she saw the shape her back was in. She looked at Gabrielle. "She's in bad shape, and we don't have anything to use for bandages."

Autolycus ripped off his shirt and handed it to Xena. "Use this. It's not very good, but it's all I have."

Xena looked at it questioningly, realizing that it was a very expensive silk shirt but not worth a damn when it came to bandages. She shrugged, knowing that it would have to do and tore it into strips. She knelt to help Gabrielle, who was already steadily applying the strips and working on stopping the flow of blood.

Gabby knew that she could have helped Elizabeth a lot more if she'd only had her herbs. As it was, she could only pray that Elizabeth would make it through this and do what she could with what they had. She had never seen Autolycus care so much for any one the way he did for Elizabeth and knew that, if Elizabeth failed to live through the day even though she'd made it through the night, her loss might well end up putting the final nail in Autolycus' coffin.

All eyes were on Elizabeth when the light suddenly washed over them . . .

* * *

Kitty's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the image before her, her dragon's worried "coo" falling on deaf ears. The one woman who had been her best friend all throughout her life, seen her through two husbands and many dreams, both failed and succeeded, and never stopped loving her lay in a pool of blood, her white skin as pale as a ghost. Kitty's held breath released in a scream. "RACHEL!" She raced forward and fell to her knees beside the redhead, whose dull green eyes were cracking open at the sound of her voice.

"Kitty, I'm all -- "

"Don't lie to me, Ray! You're not all right! You're anything but all right! Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were busy -- "

"I'm never too busy for you! Especially not when you're . . . when you're . . . "

"I'm not dying." Her weak tone; pale, limp body; and oozing blood spoke volumes of difference, however. "I'm just . . . I'm just too weak. I shouldn't have used so much . . . so much power to . . . to help the others, but I wanted . . . I wanted to make you proud, do what . . . do what you would've wanted me to do in . . . in that situation . . . "

Her eyes were drifting shut, and Kitty's heart hammered in terror. "Rachel Summers, don't you dare close your eyes!" Her hands gripped her friend and shook her. "Don't you dare!"

From his perch on Kitty's shoulder, Lockheed had been looking around for a healer. His eyes had paused on the sobbing, howling, and roaring trio of Crystal Frost's animals when a light engulfed them. He squeaked and beat at Kitty's head with his small arms and wings, trying in vain to get her attention as the light continued for them. He was still roaring and screeching and Kitty still yelling at Ray to open her eyes when the light washed over them, as well.

* * *

Cordelia had torn off yet another piece of her dress and was trying to stop the flow of blood from the blonde man's shoulder when he suddenly spoke again. He had gone so limp that she'd thought he'd been unconscious, but that thought and her relief that he had stopped trying to fight his weakness and go off after his sister were both very quickly wiped away once he opened his mouth. "Is he . . . Is he gone yet?"

"Yes," Cordelia's response was hesitant. She didn't know what the man was intending, but his next words both told her his intentions and shot away her relief.

"Good. I . . . I needed his help, but I . . . I have to . . . I have to . . . to try . . . " He struggled to rise.

She pushed him back down. "You're going nowhere!" she told him. "Angel can handle her! He may be a Pirate, but he's a hero, too, and I know that he can save your sister! You're too weak to be walking off anywhere, let alone trying to fight! Now lay still!"

"I can't!" Trent protested as he struggled against the brunette's hands determinedly shoving him down to the floor. They'd barely began to argue when the light enveloped them.

* * *

Hansel caught sight of a swiftly-approaching light through his tears. He sniffed and cried again for Derek as he wondered if that light was anything like the light that Derek had seen at the end of the tunnel of death. Where was this light coming from? Was it the same one that Derek had seen, the one that his baby had gone into?

He sniffled again. "Derek," he moaned and began to tear himself away from the comforting pillow he did not realize was Chong's chest to stumble toward the light. "Take me!" he cried, opening his arms to the light. "Take me like you did my Derek!"

Chong jumped to his feet and raced after Hansel. There was no way he was going to let that light get his baby, even if he had to knock Hansel out and drag him away from there! He'd take care of Hansel until the day that Hansel was back to his normal self!

He, at long last, had a chance to save Hansel, and he was glad that Derek was out of the picture! May my soul be blasted to Hell for it, but I thank the Goddess Derek's gone! He managed to grab Hansel's back just as the light swept over them.

* * *

Piper had had trouble staying calm by Cole's side as she had watched all that was happening with her family and worried over where her missing sister, Phoebe, was and what was happening to her. When Ororo finally calmed and began to descend, Piper could stand it no longer and broke into a run toward her godmother. She did not see the fear in Ororo's eyes as she stared at something beyond herself and Cole, but she did pause when she heard Paige's frantic yell.

Paige had been relieved when Ororo had finally calmed down until she'd seen the mingle of fear and awe in Ororo's blue eyes. She had immediately looked in the direction her godmother was staring at and had seen a great light spreading quickly through the room . . . and Piper running just a little ways before it. "PIPER, WATCH OUT!"

Piper stopped at her sister's words and turned around to see what Paige was looking at. As she turned, she heard a familiar yowl. Without looking, she scooped and opened her arms to Kit, who leaped into them. Piper stared at the approaching light. Shifting the Siamese cat to one arm, she tried to freeze the light, but again her power did not work. It was coming at her with the rush of a tornado, and Piper knew that she could not outrun it . . .

* * *

Angel drew himself up to his full height. "Just because it's a promise of a male does not mean that it is of any less value than that of a female. I understand that you do not like males, and I am not pressing that point. All I am asking is that you allow me to escort Trina back to her brother when you are finished. By the way, did you know that there is another member from your ship in here?"

When the Vampire had declared that a promise from a male was of no lesser value than a promise of a female, both Roxanne and her jaguars had laughed openly at him. Their laughter died as quickly as it had begun, however, when he questioned her. Immediately, both big cats growled, their sharp teeth revealing and glistening. Their backs arched, and their tails struck the air. Roxanne's tone was low but verged on a growl itself. "What do you know of her?"

"Her smell is different from our people. I know not other than that she is here and is in a deep sleep. I was not looking for her but for Trina. I can show you where the smell came from if you allow me to help with Trina."

"Your help is not needed, Vampiro," Roxanne growled, her own fangs now flashing as she spoke and her brown eyes having turned yellow. "I warn you of this once and only once. Any other man to speak of the woman you have spoken of would be laying in a pool of blood now. You will not touch her for if you touch her, speak to her, or in any way harm her, I will not rest until I have spilled the blood of all you hold dear and dusted you. As for Trina, if you want my help with her, you will do as I say and leave me to my work."

Angel thought to himself, And I thought Faith was a bitch! How can I just walk away and leave Trina? But if I stay, it will cause a war, and we can not be fighting amongst ourselves, not at this time! He was lost in confusion and did not know what to say. He took another step backwards.

"This could be a war," he told her. "A war neither of us needs. I have not shown my powers to you nor have I lifted a hand toward you in any way. I am not interested in the woman; I just told you that she is here. But I am interested in Trina. I don't expect you to want to be friends with any of my crew, but I do expect enough respect out of you that you don't start a war."

Roxanne looked at the Vampire for a long moment, and then, slowly, she began to straighten. As she stood, she chuckled. Sasha kept her eyes strained on the Vampire, but Yasmine looked up at her mistress with curiosity shining in her eyes. Roxanne spoke in Spanish, and Yasmine's tongue lolled out as though she, too, were laughing.

Then, placing one gentle hand on Sasha's head, she spoke to her eldest, still in Spanish. At last, her eyes met the Vampire's again. "You want your Trina that badly? Very well. You can have her, but do not look at me for my aid . . . " Her mouth was open to say more, but she stopped, staring at something behind Angel. Both cats roared, and their spotted fur fluffed out.

Angel prepared for their attack. He didn't think he could handle all three of them, and then, to his complete surprise, the Latina hurriedly spoke in Spanish once more to her jaguars and all three turned tail and ran. Angel then knelt down beside Trina. He slipped his arms under her, lifted her up, and turned.

It was then that he saw a huge, golden light heading straight toward them and realized that that was what the females had been running from. What the Hell was this thing! he wondered. The end of the world! Before he could turn and run in the direction he thought safety might lie, the light hit him . . .

* * *

A noise of click-click-click was coming across the floor toward the area where Jack and Will were now reunited in a hug. Eddie's ears perked up. It was the Demon, and it was coming closer! He hated to interrupt Jack and Will, but he had to warn them.

He tugged frantically at Jack's jacket even as around the cloth, he warned them, "The Demon's coming! The Demon's coming! Save me, Will! Save me!" He was trembling all over his body, and every one of his short hairs stuck straight up.

He would not run! He couldn't run and leave his boy to face the Demon! What was it he had heard some customer read out loud while he and Will were still working in the forge in Port Royal? Oh, yes! Donkeys caused more deaths than cannon fire! What could it be that donkeys had that was so powerful? Eddie thought quickly over what he had. It's got to be my hooves! he thought and braced himself even as he let go of Jack's coat. He tensed, waiting.

Will looked down at Donkey and then past him to see what Eddie was carrying on about. He saw a figure approaching, but it certainly wasn't a Demon. "Eddie, relax. It's just a -- "

But it was just at that moment that the approacher touched Donkey's tail with a foot, and Eddie's bray echoed through the room and completely drowned out Will's voice. Jack barely had time to look at Eddie before he brayed. "What the Hell?" he asked even as he saw Eddie's feet kick backwards and something furry go flying. Eddie could not stop braying. His fear had finally overcome him, and he kept kicking his feet backwards even though his enemy was no longer there!

The surprised Willow flew through the air as though some one had shot a cannonball and straight into the oncoming light. Jack's mind barely had time to register that something was baring down on them before the light had overcome them.

* * *

Jareth could not believe it. He was definitely speechless. So Wolf was not taking his sister-in-law for a free ride? His heart was involved! Why did Elvira turn him down? he wondered and knew he'd have to get Delvira to find out. "Wolf, you can't do that, not unless you're completely sure. I know about your past. I know what you've been through."

"Yes, but I've received a free pardon from Wendell! I had it in my pack, and there's another copy at his castle! I could get it if I needed to, so unless they tell me no, I would be honored to be your stand-in."

Neither Delvira nor Elvira dared to believe their ears. "That's . . . " Delvira hesitated. "That's not quite what he means, Wolf. There's more at stake here than your lycanthropy. If they end up punishing Jareth, and you've stood beside him, the same punishment will befall you."

Elvira was as still as a statue in Jareth's and Delvira's arms. Their words passed over her ears like a rushing waterfall, and she was only vaguely aware of Delvira's hand rubbing her back. Was this happening, or was she dreaming? Was Wolf serious about this, or was he only trying to win her admiration even more, to impress her, to make her happy . . . ? Her head spun with thoughts, and her heart hammered so loudly that all four could hear it. For now, however, she remained in the hug, her back to Wolf.

"I understand the implications," Wolf told them. "My credentials are not that good, but they might still accept them. I am the Ambassador for the Werewolves. In Wendell's kingdom, that is, but he's such a do-gooder he's probably very high in their book. I know he will vouch for me."

His right hand reached out and gripped Elvira's shoulder. "I'm not doing it to get you more in my debt, Elvira. I'm doing it, because I admire Jareth and because I love you and I want our family to be happy." He smiled at her even though she had not turned around. "Can I be included in that hug?"

Delvira knew that her husband and sister were both nearly stunned out of their wits and that she would have to make the move. A single tear slipped down her pale cheek, and she hoped Jareth didn't see it as she reached out the arm that had been around Elvira's back and pulled Wolf into the hug.

Jareth reached out and pulled Wolf in the rest of the way. "Never would have thought it of you, Wolf. I don't expect it now, but I am grateful for it. If I can ever do anything for you . . . " His voice trailed off, not really knowing how to thank Wolf.

"You can," Wolf told him. "Help me to take care of our ladies." He returned their hugs.

"With pleasure," Jareth told him.

You've got quite the -- Delvira's words to Elvira broke off suddenly, and Elvira tensed, sensing the danger through her mental bond with her twin.

"What is it?" she questioned, her head snapping up and her black eyes looking at Delvira.

"Stand behind me." Delvira's words were a quick snap, and her actions as she darted around the group and began forming twin fireballs in her hands were even swifter.

"What?" Wolf queried even as he turned around to face the direction the women and Jareth were now looking in.

"What indeed?" Jareth asked dryly. "Can we get away from it?" Jareth knew that Delvira's fireballs would do no good against the light even before she threw them, but what he did not expect was for the light to reach them as quickly as it did.

* * *

Cole had seen the light and did not know what it was. All he could see was that Piper was in harm's way. He shimmered to her and Kit, throwing his arms around both of them, but before he could shimmer out with them, the light hit them. At least, he thought, if I'm going to die, I'm going to die with the woman I love in my arms!

* * *

Prue could not believe that Brendan had just snatched her and was now carrying her like a ball toward a goal! Brendan's Werewolf was running so quickly that she had not even seen Carl begin to dig the floor! "Stop, Brendan! Let me down!" she pleaded with him. "Please let me down! There's nothing to be afraid of!" But her words fell on deaf ears as Brendan did not slow down. Instead, he increased his speed. Surely he had not felt threatened by Carl, Prue thought, so why was he so frantically running now?

The Werewolf looked over his shaggy shoulder and howled again. The light was gaining! He ran even faster, tossing Prue up to the shoulder he'd just looked over and pinning her there as though she were a bag of flour with a cut in it.

Once there, Prue's mouth fell open. She began to talk to Brendan again, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. "What is it, and why does it want us?" The only answer she got was another howl. As the light came closer, she changed her words, "Hurry, Brendan! Run faster!" But it was to no avail as the light quickly swept over them.

* * *

Faith grinned tiredly up at Dawson. "Yeah," she told him, her voice still weak and hoarse, "you're a Pirate." Loving sarcasm twisted her grin, and she added, "Why ya wanna know, any way? So ya can stick closer to Birdboy's ass?" Her grin and wink told him that she was only teasing him.

"No. I want to know, because I know that only a Pirate could ever hope to keep your love and interest, and I never want to lose you, Faith. I want to be with you when I'm a very old man." He smiled at her. "But I still have to answer to the Captain when he calls!"

"We'll see about that," she told him as she started to lean up toward him again, "but Pirates don't usually . . . " Her words broke off as she sensed two differences around them. She reached out a hand and gently grabbed Salem's tail. "Hold it, Saberhagen. Where do you think you're going?"

"I . . . " Salem would not meet Faith's imploring eyes nor Dawson's curious gaze. "You two have a whole life ahead of you, Faith. I'm not going to impose on young love."

"Impose, my ass! What the Hell's going on?"

"Well, I . . . " He glanced at Katrina, hoping for a distraction, and was momentarily rewarded by the horror on her furry face. "I think you should check on Katrina."

"What's wrong with Katrina?" Dawson asked, looking curiously at Salem, then turning his eyes toward Katrina. The shock and horror on her face was plain to see. "What is wrong with her?" he asked Salem again.

"Lewis, what's . . . " Salem's loud hissing drowned out Faith's words, and she looked down at him. "Salem, I'm the one that's got your tail."

"It's not that!" the black cat protested. "Look!" He pointed a claw at the approaching light.

Faith's gaze followed Salem's claw, and her eyes went wide. "What the fuck's that damn thing!"

"I don't know," Dawson's voice trembled, "but it's coming straight for us! I love you, Faith!" he said as he grabbed her. "It would've been a great life!" His eyes focused completely on her. If this was his last moment of life, he wanted to have her in his vision forever!

"Dawson, let go of me! We've gotta get the Hell -- " Faith's words froze on her tongue as the light surrounded them.

* * *

Frederic stood, looking down at Smee. He hoped James was okay and reached down and began to try to help James get out from under Smee even as he talked reassuringly to him. "They're not doing anything! In fact, it didn't hurt when it passed through me! Get up! Let's see what is going to happen next!" he said encouragingly. He was wishing that Connor would give him a hand, and he looked at his brother meaningfully.

Connor stepped forward and took the other side of Smee. "Dad, get up! You're crushing Dad!"

If the situation had not been so dire, James would have found himself laughing. Other than the initial shock of Smee crushing him in the beginning, Smee had not hurt him at all, and it had felt rather good having him on him again. Maybe it was a mind swiping light, and it would take the memories of what had happened last night away from Smee? James could only hope!

For the first time in his life, Smee fought with everything he had against his boys yet, even while his chubby arms flailed back at them, he caused the rest of his body to go limp, succeeding in making himself even heavier. "You -- You two need to get down here!" he told them. "You don't know what you're dealing with! We do, but James doesn't always know what's good for him!"

Yeah, that was right! Smee reflected. He didn't know what was good for him! He'd always taken care of him, and yet James had tossed him aside as though he was rubbish . . . Then again, he wasn't worth much more than garbage, so who could blame him?

"Smee, everything's going to be all right," James told him rather dazedly. The last bit that Smee pulled was getting rather uncomfortable now. "You've got to get off. You're crushing my chest! That light felt warm and fuzzy when it passed through! Did it hurt you?"

"No," Smee responded, "but it's not done with you yet! I know I'm fat and uncomfortable, but I'm not going anywhere! They want you, they've got to go through me to get to you!"

"If you don't get off, there won't be anything of me left for them to get to!" James warned him. "I'm having trouble breathing down here," his mumbling came up to reach Smee's ear.

Smee looked down at James through tear-filled eyes and a round face as red as a radish. "Well, if there's nothing of you left for them to get to, at least there's nothing left for a woman either!"

"WHAT WOMAN?" James roared. "THERE ARE NO WOMEN I'M INTERESTED IN! IT WAS A SPELL, SMEE, ONLY A SPELL!"

"You don't have to lie to me!" Smee's voice cracked and trembled, but he stayed where he was.

"SMEE, GET OFF OF ME THIS INSTANT, AND THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER FROM YOUR CAPTAIN!" Hook barked at him.

"You're . . . You're not my Captain any more! You . . . You don't even have a ship!"

"I'm still a Captain! I haven't lost my rank just because I don't have a ship! I'll get another soon! **_NOW GET OFF OF ME!_**"

Smee trembled and shook as badly as his voice was cracking. He tried to say several different things, failingly attempting to inform James that it didn't matter if he got a hundred ships, he'd still have to look for a new cabin boy. Finally, he sputtered out, "N-N-N-N-N-N-NO!"

"THAT'S IT!" James said. "I HATE TO DO IT TO YOU!" With his one good hand, he reached out and began to tickle Smee. From old habits, James knew exactly where Smee was the most ticklish and now proceeded to do it to him with great relish.

Smee would never have thought he could laugh again after losing his James, but he couldn't help himself as James tickled him. He began sputtering with laughter, laughter that died as quickly as he remembered that this was probably the last time James would ever deign to touch his fat and then started again as swiftly as James hit a new tickle spot.

* * *

Ororo had paused Logan and herself in their descent toward the floor. She had seen the light overtake Cole and Piper, Brendan and Prue, and Joxer and Phoebe from her advantage point in the air and had been unable to help any of them. Indeed, nearly the entire floor was engulfed by the light now, but she still had her beloved Logan, who had made no sign of seeing the light but had fallen quiet, and Paige, who was still staring at where Piper had last been seen before the light had covered her. "Winds, aid us in our flight!" Ororo called out.

"'RO, LITTLE DARLIN', YA AIN'T GOIN' BACK UP AGAIN, ARE YA!" Logan pleaded. "PLEASE TAKE US DOWN! I'VE HAD ABOUT ALL I CAN HANDLE O' THOSE HEIGHTS!"

"WE HAVEN'T MUCH CHOICE," Ororo called back to him even as Paige, having had her feet swept out from under her by 'Ro's gusts of wind, screamed. Ororo swept Paige and Logan with her away from the floor and up toward the ceiling, but still the light followed!

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!" Logan asked. "IT'S COVERED THE ENTIRE FLOOR! ALL OUR PEOPLE ARE DOWN THERE! THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE MOVIN'!" For the first time, in a long time, twice in the same day, Logan was at a loss for words as to what the Hell was going on and why it was happening now. "'RO, WHAT IS IT?"

"I KNOW NOT, MY DEAR, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, IT IS NOT GOOD AND WE MUST AWAY -- " Yet the light had no intention of allowing them to escape for, even as clapping broke out from the observatory booth and Drell shouted out praise to the Wizards they thought had caused the light, the light engulfed the last three Pirates left.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

**Greece**

A delicate, pearly white hand slowly turned the large diamond over, examining its beauty from each angle and seeing Her reflection in each of its sparkling sides. It was lovely, one of Her favorite jewels, and She had often taken much pleasure in playing with it. Today, however, She realized that She did not deserve such a wondrous trinket just as She did not deserve most of the rest of what had been left here for Her. With a sob clutching at Her breast but not escaping Her mouth, She turned in a swirl of pink and threw the diamond against a statue.

She felt the tiny explosion in Her heart, and the sob broke free. Grabbing up another diamond, She threw it as well. She ripped feathers into shreds and tore luxurious silks in halves and then again in halves. She let them rain to the floor before grabbing up a vase and slamming it against the wall.

Her tears had started again now, and as She yelled at Herself for being so stupid and weak and at Him for being so bloody persuading and sexy, She hurled more objects. She crunched smaller diamonds under her feet and hurled the larger ones at the statue in the middle of the room. She kicked vases, breaking them and pouring their contents onto the floor. She let a scream of frustrated rage escape Her as She hurled a small, golden statue at the large one.

A tall, muscular blonde appeared before the statue just then. His hand snaked out and grasped the statue before it could hit the larger one and shatter. "Mother," He questioned, His wings shifting and ruffling on His back, "just what are You doing?" He had never seen Her like this before, and She certainly didn't want Him to now.

She turned Her back to Him. Sniffling, She tried unsuccessfully to rein in Her tears, but though She was unsuccessful in that, She did manage to bark at Him. "Don't be stupid, Cupid! What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Having a fit," were the first words out of His mouth. The look the Goddess of Love shot Him over Her thinly-clad shoulder had Him rethinking His response immediately. He slowly took another step forward, His hand reaching for Her shoulder. "What on Olympus," He asked, careful to keep His voice smooth and calm, "could cause the most beautiful Goddess on Mount Olympus to ransack Her own temple?"

She shrugged His hand off. "Ask Your Father."

"Dad?" Cupid repeated in surprise. "What's He got to do with this?"

She stepped away from Him as He stepped nearer. "Everything." Her answer was ground out.

"Okay," Cupid carefully responded. "I can tell You don't want to talk, Mom, so I will. I'll ask Him, but let Me just ask You one more thing before I go." Her frustrated bite of a sigh was answer enough. "Why ransack Your own temple instead of the temple of the One who made You so angry?"

Aphrodite paused at Cupid's suggestion. Ares wasn't the One who had made Her so angry, but He certainly was the cause of Her predicament. The corners of Her lips began to turn up in the midst of Her tears. "You're exactly right, Cupid!" She shot Him a smile, rewarding Her son for His efforts or so She thought.

He could see past her facade and knew that She was still crying when She would not look Him in the eye. "Mother," He started.

"Not now, Cupid," Aphrodite commanded and flickered out.

Cupid sighed as His eyes scanned the destruction all around Him. His wings fluttered with His own worried emotions. This had been one of His Mother's favorite temples, and She had single-handedly destroyed it. The mortals thought that Aphrodite was a happy, go-lucky Goddess, but what most of them did not realize was that, when She was riled, She was as a great a force to be reckoned with as any of the leading Goddesses on Mount Olympus, if not greater.

Indeed, as He surveyed all the shattered and completely destroyed items that littered every inch of the temple and His eyes finally fell upon the statue of Aphrodite Herself that had once stood proudly in the middle of the room but was now standing amidst the chaos with a great tear running down its golden length, Cupid was reminded of His Mother's watery birth for it looked as though one of Poseidon's own hurricanes had struck the temple. He would return later, Cupid vowed, and do what He could to fix things, but first, He had to get to the bottom of the situation and find out just why His Mother was so deeply upset. With a sigh, the God of Love flickered out.

* * *

**Mainframe**

Shaggy, dark green bangs fell in his eyes as he stared at the one woman who meant everything to him. They had been best friends since they were young Sprites. Indeed, she'd left her whole world for a chance of friendship with him when they were too little to understand the implications of her stepping out of the game. All they'd known was that it wasn't supposed to be possible but that she had found a way and neither of them would ever have to be alone again. She had stuck as close to his side as she could get ever since, and he had always been eternally grateful for her friendship, her partnership, and her love.

She had been there for him when no one else had. She had been with him through everything, and he had seen her grow from a gawky, perhaps too eager child to the gorgeous, well-rounded woman she now was and who was both experienced in and capable of kicking any one's asskey and handing it back to them in fragmented pixels, any one including his own. She had had patience with him when he had deserved none; had been his rock when he thought his world, and even his life, was over; had loved him even when he'd been a big, tough asskey using his gun for his CPU.

She had been there with him through everything, and he loved her more than he'd even thought it possible to love some one. Their love had seen them through all sorts of Hellish adventures, but that wasn't to say they hadn't had fights. Oh, yes, they had fought, all too often at times, but their fights had never lasted as long as Bob and Dot's. No, their fights were usually short-lived and culminated in him doing what his pride would allow him to to apologize for being such a bitmap. AndrAla had put up with him and loved him when no else would have, and now . . .

Now all he wanted was for his beautiful, strong, fiercely free-spirited and free-willed life partner to open her blue eyes, look up at him, call him the nickname he'd despised for so long, and tell him everything was going to be okay. His heart was caught in his chest to where he could barely breathe, and still his faith in the man healing his sweetheart reminded him that, if there was any way for AndrAla to be saved, Bob would heal her. He would bring her back to him just as he'd done once before when Enzo had stood on the brink of losing her and, in so doing, his entire reason for keeping the fight to survive going for so long.

He recalled that night now, when Bob had calmed the rising tensions between those on the Saucy Mare and the Web Riders, came forward, and healed AndrAla. He remembered being miffed when Glitch had unexplainably jumped from him to the stranger and then worried when the stranger had simply continued past him, and Ray who had also been startled out of his wits, to sit beside AndrAla and begin the healing process. Where he had barely been able to keep AndrAla processing before, Bob had saved her life through use of the same keytool he was using now. Matrix held his breath and waited . . . and waited, praying for a sign that AndrAla would be all right to the User he had not prayed to in so long . . .

* * *

Mouse knew she had heard Frisket barking. There was no doubt in her mind of that, but as she clutched Ray to her chest and continued talking to him and running toward the sound of the few barks she'd heard, she began to wonder if she would ever reach there in time. Tears stung her heart, but she kept them from creeping back into her eyes, knowing that if they should fall, they would do no good but only mar her vision. She was having a hard enough time running in the thick, gray mist as it was and kept feeling that her feet were going to go out from under her at any time now. Should that happen, there would be no way to get Ray healed in time. She would fail him . . . She wouldn't allow that to happen, Mouse thought determinedly, and the hacker increased her speed yet again.

* * *

**Mount Olympus**

Cupid entered the dark, dank forge with extreme caution. Even His wings, which usually moved with every flicker of His emotions, were unusually still and silent on His back. His every muscle tensed as He proceeded into the darkness, His footsteps falling silently against the stony floor as He followed the sound of banging. "Dad?" He called nervously to the pitch blackness of the cave.

A grunt was His initial answer, but when He called again, the banging stopped just long enough for a gruff and angry voice to demand, "What do You want?"

"Mom's angry," He told Him, trying to catch sight of Him in the darkness. "She told Me I should ask You why She's so upset."

The banging paused again, and the figure of a big man turned toward Him. Still, He could not see His face but only part of His body -- His wide, muscular torso. "What did She say?"

"That I should ask My Father . . . "

Hephaestus interrupted Him before He could finish. "Then what are You doing here?" He demanded. The echo of his rough voice sounded like a cracking whip.

"You are My . . . "

"CUPID, DON'T BE STUPID!" the older God roared at Him. "HOW CAN I BE YOUR FATHER! I'M LAME!" Cupid ducked as something went whistling over His head. He looked over His shoulder at the battleaxe that had barely missed Him. Touching a hand to His wing, He realized it had not entirely missed Him as a couple of feathers drifted off at His slight touch. He started to turn back around, but Hephaestus' angry shout stopped him still in His tracks. "GET OUT OF HERE, AND GO ASK ARES!"

With His heart still hammering rapidly from the near-miss of the battleaxe, Cupid decided to do as Hephaestus demanded. After all, He'd rather take His chances with the God of War than with this angry, lame God who refused to be His Father and thundered and threw weapons at Him from the darkness of His secluded cave. Cupid flicked out before Hephaestus could throw anything else, and a deep sigh echoed in the cave before the rough voice made a demand of an absent God. "Ares, fix your own mess!"

* * *

**Mainframe**

Bob was getting tired, so he sat on the ground beside AndrAla, watching for any sign of her responding to him. He heard, with part of his CPU, Frisket barking and the sounds of some one approaching them, but he could not tear his concentration away from AndrAla. He prayed to the User that her eyes would open soon.

Matrix's memories were shattered by Frisket's loud mouth. His one good eye flicked questioningly to his canine companion. "What is it, boy?" he asked, seeing that Frisket had his concentration pinned on one particular direction, his tail was stiff, his ears perked, and he was still barking at that one direction. "Is it trouble?" He reached instinctively for his gun but realized it was gone.

Just as Matrix was beginning to get to his feet, he heard AndrAla whisper his name. "Enzo?"

He fell immediately back to his knees beside her. "I'm right here, love." He reached out, hoping not to interfere with Bob's healing but unable to resist touching her any longer, and gently squeezed her hand.

As the healing process finished, Bob got to his feet. "Frisket and I will go check out what's coming. Give you two some time alone." He grinned at the pair and then turned to follow Frisket who raced forward.

Enzo looked up at Bob and would have been glad that his friend had already turned away from them had he realized that there were tears in his eye. "Thank you, Bob." His voice sounded funny, and AndrAla knew that he was fighting tears.

Bob's voice drifted back to him. "You're welcome. Any time." He continued on his way, wondering who could be out here, needing his help. He was surprised to see Mouse carrying what appeared to be a crumpled mess but turned out to be Ray heading in his direction as fast as her legs could carry them. He ran forward to meet them.

Once reaching her, he took Ray and laid him on the ground. "What happened?" he asked. The life spark was very low in Ray, and using the keytool, Bob began to heal him. It would go a lot faster if he knew what was wrong.

Mouse's voice shook as she answered Bob from where she knelt beside him and Ray, and her Southern drawl was even thicker. "Ah . . . Ah don' know, Bob. Ah . . . Ah was lookin- fer Ray after wakin' up thar in that hole, an' Ah . . . Ah knew he was gonna be pissed. Figured he might . . . he might even hate me -- he knows -- but Ah . . . Ah was lookin' for him, an' when Ah found him, he was like this. Said he thought his processor was malfunctionin'."

"Something must've fell on him," Bob told her. He had never seen Mouse so scared, and his heart ached for his friend. "We'll work on that first and then check for any other damages."

* * *

**Ares' Throne/Temple**

Ares lounged back on His throne, thinking over the night that had just passed. It had been glorious, being allowed to touch Aphrodite once again. It had been far too long since the last time. He longed to be with Her all the time, just as He longed to not be the God of War.

Why, did He ask Himself for the millionth time, had His Father gave Him the "honor" of being the God of War? And for the millionth time, He answered Himself, He couldn't stick it on anybody else. The Others had all been older and wiser than Him and had found a way out of it. He had searched but had been unable to find a way out.

It was then that a chill ran through His body, and He jerked. Somebody was ransacking His temple, and with each thing that shattered, He felt as though it had cut His own skin. He flickered and reappeared in His favorite temple. "**_WHAT IN THE HADES ARE YOU DOING, DITEY!_**" He yelled at Her, looking around at the mass destruction that awaited His eyes. "Was I that bad?" In fact, He thought it had been the best He had ever had! He stood with His hands clenched and gazed at the Goddess that occupied so much of His thoughts.

"YES!" Aphrodite turned toward Him with a pout on Her lips and another blood red ruby the size of Ares' fist held in Her raised hand. She knew that simple answer would hit Him below the belt. With that answer, She promptly threw the ruby straight at Him.

He deftly caught the ruby but turned His back to Her. He wouldn't let Her see the pain Her word had caused Him. Her word had shot like an arrow straight to His heart and made Him know that there was no way in Hades He'd ever win Her. Maybe spend a night or two in Her bed after they'd fought, but He'd never have Her full time.

For some misbegotten reason, She hated Him! She needed Him. She desired Him when She was in the heat of passion, but _nnnooo_, He wasn't good enough for Her! His anger began to rise as He turned back to face Her. "YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN THAT?" He glared at Her. "YOU CAN'T TELL ME YOU DIDN'T GET OFF MULTIPLE TIMES! SO WHAT IN THE HADES DID I DO WRONG _THIS_ TIME!"

"EVERYTHING!" She shot back. She stepped closer toward Him, Her teary eyes flashing with anger, and snatched up a vase from the floor. She wasn't even looking at what She had grabbed, just reaching for something else to throw. The vase's outside was black, but its inside was painted with a blood red that seemed to pour over the sides of it. On the outside of the vase was drawn many different images of men killing other men and women.

Aphrodite had just begun to approach Ares when somebody appeared in between Them. She recognized the back of Her Son immediately and fell abruptly silent when Cupid, His back still to Her, demanded of Ares, "WHAT THE HADES DID YOU DO TO MOM!"

"WHAT DID _I_ DO TO _YOUR MOM_! BETTER TO ASK WHAT _SHE_ DID TO _ME_! LOOK AT THIS MESS!" He screamed in a high-pitched voice. "DID I DESTROY _HER_ TEMPLE? NO! BUT _SHE_ DESTROYED _MINE_!" His voice now broke. "I never would've harmed hers . . . !"

His cloudy mind was telling Him that before Him stood His Son, Cupid. What the Hell was He doing here? "Why are You here? I didn't invite You! GO AWAY, CUPID! GO AWAY AND PLAY WITH YOUR TOYS!" He glared angrily at Him. How _dare_ He interrupt Ditey and Him! Why, the kid didn't even know that He was His Father! He'd never been allowed to tell Him even though He had wanted to! Who was Cupid to presume that He had the right to tell _Him_ what to do!

Aphrodite's mouth was just a second away from flying open in protest that Cupid not go play with his toys lest he wreck another couple when Cupid spoke. Cupid's eyes bore into Ares with a Look He'd learned from His Mother as His arms folded in front of His chest and His wings fluttered angrily on His back. "Better Your temple," He informed the War God, never realizing that Aphrodite was standing right behind Him, "than Her own."

At the look on Ares, He continued, "Yeah, that's right. She's already destroyed one of Her own!" He took another step toward Him. "And I'm getting sick of this run around! _What_ is going on, and _why_ did Hephaestus tell Me I should ask _You_ when Aphrodite told Me to ask My Father!"

"Ask Your Mother!" Ares retorted. "She's right behind You." He stalked off a little distance away from the two, His mind playing back over the threats that Ditey had made Him if He ever opened His mouth and revealed the true secret of Cupid's birth.

The look on Cupid's face when Ares told Him that Aphrodite was right behind Him was that of a cherub with His hand caught in the cookie jar. He turned slowly around to face Her, His wings fluttering nervously the whole while. "Mom?" His voice came out almost in a croak.

"I . . . I . . . I . . . " For once, Aphrodite was at a loss for words.

Cupid met His Mother's nervous gaze. "Since You told Me to ask My Father, and Hephaestus told Me to ask Ares and informed Me not to be stupid -- I _do_ hate that phrase," he muttered, " -- and reminded Me that He was lame, a God just can't help wondering. Who _is_ My Father!"

Aphrodite stared at Cupid. She had known He would one day get wise and corner Her on the subject of His parentage, but She had never suspected Ares to be in the room with Them when it happened! She was not at all certain what She should tell Him.

"Mom?" Cupid questioned. "Is He . . . Is Ares . . . Is Ares My . . . IsAresMyFather!" He blurted out.

"I . . . Hum . . . Well, I . . . I . . . " Aphrodite's gaze darted continuously between Cupid and Ares as She fumbled for words. "If You can call Him that, then I suppose He is!"

"What do You mean if I can call him that, You 'suppose' He is?" Cupid queried, taking a step closer to Aphrodite, who backed up. In the hurried motion, She let go of the vase She'd forgotten She was holding, and it flew across the room to crash against a wall.

Aphrodite winced at the sound and looked at the vase before looking back at Cupid. "It's not as if He was ever around!"

Cupid's mouth fell open.

**Mainframe**

Ray was lost in a world all by himself, and he could find no one although he called for Mouse rather loudly. Strange objects kept bouncing up and making grinning faces at him, and he could not find his sword or his board anywhere. They were like everything else he knew and recognized -- gone. Then he saw an ugly face he remembered -- Hexadecimal.

Before she could do anything to damage him, however, he felt himself being pulled back from the brink, and his eyes flickered open. First, he saw Bob, and looking past him, he saw Mouse. A more beautiful sight he had never seen. "Mouse?" he managed to gasp out even as he felt the healing process working on him.

"Ah'm here, shugah," Mouse answered immediately, her voice shaking, as she wiped away her tears before Bob could notice them. One hand remained busily wiping away her tears, but the other hand very gently touched Ray on the head, avoiding the area where Bob and Glitch were working. Her purple fingers curled into his blonde hair. "Ah'm right here."

"Be careful. Hexadecimal's around here somewhere," he warned her.

Mouse's glistening eyes glanced at the mist before looking back down at Ray. "Don't y'all worry about her. She ain't gonna be hurtin' anybody any more, dahlin'. Least not here in Mainframe."

"Is this Mainframe?" Ray asked as he looked around at the swirling mists. "It doesn't look right. Where is every one?"

"Bob, Frisket, an' I're here, hon. Bob's the one healin' ya. Ah don't know about AndrAla and Enzo." She would not tell him that they might not have made it. "As fer the othahs . . . Well . . . They're gone." She wondered if Bob had realized what had happened to Dot yet.

Bob looked at Mouse. "AndrAla and Enzo are not too far from here. They're both okay. But we haven't found any one else yet. Not sure what happened, but this used to be Mainframe. Never seen anything like this before." He looked questioningly at Mouse, realizing that she knew something that he didn't know and hoping that she'd tell him.

Mouse did not realize that tears still glistened in her eyes when she met Bob's gaze for she never would have looked up had she known. "Soon," she mouthed to him and left it at that.

Bob returned his attention to healing Ray, knowing that they would soon need all of their strengths to go against whatever enemy lay unbeknownst in the mist.

* * *

**Ares' Temple**

Ares could not believe Ditey was putting Him down yet again, in front of Their kid. He stepped forward. "It wasn't as though You'd let Me be around!" He told Her. "I wanted to be, but You warned Me against that!"

"Ares, don't You _dare_," Aphrodite exclaimed, whirling on Him, "put this on _Me_! You told Me _Yourself_ that You . . . That You didn't want to be a Father, let alone the Father of a _rat_ with wings! Those were _Your_ words!" She nearly cried, pointing a shaking finger at Ares.

"I NEVER SAID THAT!" He bellowed. "I WANTED TO BE HIS FATHER! I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING IF YOU'D EVER LET ME GET THAT CLOSE! BUT YOU TOLD ME -- I'LL _SHOW_ YOU WHAT YOU TOLD ME!" He moved His hand around in the air and created a moving picture.

In the picture, a much younger Aphrodite was facing a much younger Ares and pointing a finger at His chest. She kept poking Him and telling Him that if He ever came near Cupid, She would get Hind's blood and use it on Him. "You must never, ever tell Him that You're His Father, because if You do, You won't live to gloat over it!" The young Ares kept protesting that all He wanted to do was to be a Father. He didn't think He'd be very good at it but He wanted a chance, but there was no reasoning with Her and She flickered out.

"I HAD NO REASON TO EVER DOUBT YOU, DITEY! I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT! IF I HAD NOT LOVED YOU, I WOULD HAVE REVEALED THAT SECRET LONG AGO! I WOULD HAVE _SHOUTED_ IT FROM THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN! I AM RATHER PROUD OF _OUR_ SON, WHETHER _YOU_ WANT ME TO BE OR NOT!" He did not take His eyes off of either of Them. "DENY WHAT YOU HAVE JUST SEEN!" He demanded of Her.

Aphrodite had lowered Her face and was looking downwards through the tears that clogged Her vision. She would not meet Ares' gaze nor Cupid's.

Cupid could not believe what He had just seen nor what He had learned. His Father could not be Ares, the God of War! "M-Mom?" His dry voice was near to breaking. That could not have been _His_ Mother threatening to _kill_! She was _not_ a . . .

Cupid's thoughts broke off as Aphrodite raised Her head, straightened Her shoulders, and lifted Her chin. Her stormy gaze locked with Ares', and the look on Her face was one Cupid had seen before and had always been thankful She'd never turned on Him. Her long legs ate up the distance between Ares and Herself in mere seconds as She thundered at Him. "ARES, YOU SON-OF-HERA!" Her slap rang through the temple and brought shouts from the doorway.

Cupid glanced with one eye to the door where subjects suited in armor were fleeing. He dismissed the mortals and looked back to Aphrodite, His Mother, and Ares . . . His . . . His **_Father_**! That just _couldn't_ be!

"YOU CAN PLAY ALL THE TRICKS YOU WANT," Aphrodite exclaimed heatedly, drawing Herself up to Her full height before the War God, "BUT I'M NOT HERCULES AND I'M NOT XENA! I KNOW YOUR TRICKS, AND I WILL _NOT_ BE FOOLED BY THEM! I AM THE GODDESS OF _LOVE_, AND THE GODDESS OF LOVE DOES _NOT KILL_!" She spat the word as though it was the foulest word in all of creation.

"TO THIS DAY, I REMEMBER THE DAY I CAME TO YOU AND TOLD YOU THAT I WAS PREGNANT WITH CUPID! I WAS BESIDE MYSELF, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO EXPLAIN THINGS TO HEPHAESTUS, LET ALONE TO _FATHER_! AND WHAT DID _YOU_ DO, YOU . . . YOU WAR GOD YOU! YOU TOLD ME I'D DONE THE TIME AND NOW I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE RESULTS! YOU _SNEERED_ AT ME! YOU _LAUGHED_ AT ME! YOU EVEN DEMANDED OF ME WHAT I HAD EXPECTED WHEN I HAD . . . WHEN I HAD DONE THAT WHICH I NEVER SHOULD HAVE DONE AND DARN WELL SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE LAST NIGHT!"

Cupid's mouth fell open again.

"YOU CALLED ME SO MANY NAMES THAT MY EARS _STILL_ BURN AT THE MERE THOUGHT OF IT, AND YET NOW YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO TURN THE TABLES AND MAKE _ME_ OUT TO BE THE BITCH! I CAN BE A BITCH! YES, I CAN, AND I DON'T CARE WHAT THOSE MORTALS THINK! I CAN BE WHEN I NEED TO BE, BUT I WAS NEVER THE BITCH TO YOU UNTIL THAT DAY!"

"THE DAY YOU CAME TO ME AND TOLD ME I WAS GOING TO BE A FATHER WAS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE UNTIL YOU THREATENED ME! ALL I KNOW, DITEY, IS WHAT I'VE ALREADY SHOWN YOU! I WOULDN'T HAVE CARED IF CUPID HAD COME OUT LOOKING LIKE A RAT, IF IT'S WHAT _WE_ CREATED IN _LOVE_! I'M THANKFUL HE DIDN'T!"

"ALL I HAVE IS MY MEMORIES OF THE TIME BEFORE AND OUR FEW TIMES AFTER! I WOULD _NEVER_ HAVE REFUSED TO BE WITH YOU! IN FACT, I MIGHT HAVE KILLED HEPHAESTUS TO DO JUST THAT UNTIL YOU THREATENED ME! THEN I THOUGHT IT BEST NOT TO BE AROUND CUPID LEST I SLIP UP AND CAUSE MY OWN DEATH!"

"ASK ZEUS! YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK HIM! HE'S A WITNESS! HE SEES ALL, KNOWS ALL, AND DOES AS HE DAMN WELL PLEASES! I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY!" He declared as He flickered out before He could cry. The God of War does not cry, He reminded Himself, no matter what. No wonder She hates Me!

Could Some One have played Us false? But it smelled like Her, and it damn sure sounded like Her when She's angry! It had to be Her! Didn't it? His memories were not wrong. He knew that. One of the misfortunes of being a God was that You could not forget. Your memories lasted forever, and being the God of War, they were not always good. In fact, the only good ones He had were of the times He had been with Ditey when They were happy together. He hated being the God of War. Why had Zeus cursed Him with it? He hung His head, lost in despair.

* * *

**Mainframe**

Mouse waited until Ray was sitting up and seemed to be coherent again before approaching the subject that she knew had never left Bob's mind. "Bob," she started, looking at the Guardian who had been her best, and at times only, friend for many cycles now. Approaching footsteps caused her to fall silent, and she turned toward them only to see Enzo emerging from the midst and carrying AndrAla, who he, as of yet, refused to put down.

Bob looked questioningly at Mouse. Was she going to tell him without him asking, or would he have to beg her to tell him what was going on? "Yes?" he prodded.

"You can put me down, Sparky."

"I'm not letting you go," Enzo rebutted the idea, gazing down into AndrAla's baby blues.

"You two come sit down here," Mouse called to Enzo and AndrAla.

The couple looked at Mouse. "Why?" Matrix started to ask.

AndrAla, seeing the seriousness in Mouse's eyes, shook her head. "Just do it, Sparky."

"I'm not used to -- "

AndrAla broke him off. "Enzo."

He wasn't going to argue with her so soon after almost losing her, and so Enzo adhered, taking a seat on the gray void next to Ray. He turned, with AndrAla now on his lap, to face Mouse and Bob. "What is it?"

"Ah . . . Ah can tell y'all haven't seen this before," Mouse said, referring to the gray mist, "but Ah have. Ah know what's happened here, an' they . . . If they didn't get out beforehand, which ain't likely, they're gone."

"What caused this?" Bob asked her, feeling in his heart that Dot was gone. In fact, their whole world was gone. He wanted to know what entity had done this so that he could go after them and make it pay. He had feared the worst, and now the worst was here.

Enzo's heart felt dead in his chest as he realized what Mouse was trying to tell them. He took little comfort in the gentle, comforting hand AndrAla laid against his forearm but squeezed her tightly to him as he grieved for his sister. At least AndrAla had not been caught in this mess, and most of his friends had survived because they'd left Mainframe when they had, thanks to Hexadecimal.

He knew, however, that Dot would have never left Mainframe, and now . . . Now she was gone, deleted by . . . By what? _What_ had done this? He let AndrAla look at Mouse for answers, not daring to show his eye to the others for fear there might be tears in it.

"Ah've come across this mist a few times before. In older systems, deleted systems . . . Best any one's been able ta figure out, this's what . . . what happens when the . . . when the User goes nuts."

"What makes the User go nuts," Ray asked, "and what does he do to our world to make it go like this?" He scarcely could believe that all the beings he had known in this world were no longer in this existence, just his friends and his Mouse were left. He knew that he would miss Captain Capacitor and Dot Matrix forever, because they had been very close to him. He knew he'd even miss the Princess. He would revenge their deaths if he could.

"No one really knows why. There's many . . . many theories on it, but . . . "

"What did he do?" Enzo asked quietly as AndrAla rubbed his arm.

"He deleted the system an' . . . an' those in it."

Ray gasped aloud. To be deleted was the most awful thing in the whole Net! It was the end of everything! He'd never pray to the User again for letting this happen! It was his fault, and they could not reach him. If they could, Ray would put the end to the User.

"Is there anything we can do?" AndrAla questioned, her own eyes shining with tears. It was all she could do to keep from crying and to keep her voice from shaking, but she knew that Enzo needed her to be strong for him now more than perhaps ever before.

Bob had sat quietly for as long as he could. "HOW _DARE_ THE USER DO THIS TO US!" he railed against the unfairness of it all. If only he could reach the User! He'd use his keytool on him to make him pay for it over and over again! Deletion was the one nightmare that no one had ever found an answer for. Once it was gone, it was gone! His heart fell to his feet as he wept unashamedly for those that were now gone.

When Bob started crying, it was almost the breaking point for AndrAla. She bit her lip to keep from crying, though, as she realized that the sound of his hero weeping had just pushed Enzo over the edge. As her lover buried his face in her long hair, AndrAla did her best to keep Mouse's gaze, hoping to draw strength from the other woman. "Is there . . . ?" she asked again, her voice shaking so badly now that she could barely pronounce the words.

"No," Mouse whispered with a shake of her head. "Ah wish there was," she said, squeezing Ray's hand with one hand and Bob's shoulder with the other, "but there ain't. There's nevah been a cure for deletion. We all know that, an' we can't reach the User."

Enzo murmured something at that, but his words were lost in AndrAla's blue hair. She heard him, but she was used to his language. She hoped no one else did but knew that Mouse had. The hacker's purple skin darkened a little but not that much. Had Dot been there, however, she probably would have flogged the boy.

Frisket whimpered and crept closer to his people. He didn't understand what was wrong, only that Dot was gone and their world was no more. He mourned in his own doggy fashion and was not surprised when his master reached out, wrapped a thick arm around him, and pulled him close, as well.

* * *

**Ares' Temple**

"Mom?" Cupid asked in the quietness that had fallen over the temple after Ares had left. "Is this . . . Is this true?"

Aphrodite slowly turned to look at Her son, and when She did face Him, tears streamed down Her cheeks. "What I tell You, dear Cupid, is the truth. I am . . . I am sorry You had to find out the truth of Your Father, let alone in this manner."

He started to go to Her, embrace Her, and tell Her that His Father didn't matter as long as He had Her, but Aphrodite turned Her back to Him and flickered out. Cupid stood alone, His whirling mind confused and lost.

* * *

**The Council's Court Room**

When the light had first come at them, they had tried to stand and fight, but upon quickly realizing that the light could not be fought, they had turned tail together and ran. Just before the light had hit them, she had turned to him, knocked him to the floor, and used her body to cover and shield his. Now, they lay together, breathing heavily, in a heap of four.

Slowly, at her cat's nudge, the redhead began to look up. She arched upwards like a cat awakening and began to look around. Her hands remained on his thin chest as her emerald eyes looked all around them. The light covered everything, but there were a few people moving about. She raised a hand and turned it over as she examined it in the light, waiting, expectantly, for something in the light to attempt to cause harm to her.

She gave it a few minutes more, and when nothing happened, she stood and reached a hand down to the man still on the floor. She was just beginning to take hold of his hand when she heard a shout. "**_KYNA!_**" She turned quickly, her long, fiery red hair whirling around her, and was just in time to see the light lifting her dead friend into the air and carrying her corpse away from her husband. Beyond Kyna, she could see others lifting into the air.

With a shriek of, "DIN'T GET UP! STAY DOWN!", she threw herself back on top of her partner. This time, her hands snaked out, grabbing the tabby cat from her shoulder and the monkey from Ace's neck. She placed the two animals between their bodies, using her arms to block them from squeezing out from between them and her hands pressing down on Ace's shoulders to keep him from trying to get up. Even in such a position, she strained to keep her weight on her booted feet which were planted on the floor on either side of Ace.

"I din't knae what the light is," Kat told her immediate family, "but 'tisn't good. Stay down. Stay out o' it 'til it clears." Her tone left no room for argument, and her paled face told of a fear she'd never admit to.

Ace had never seen Kat so scared. He didn't know what it was, but if it had Kat scared, he knew he was no match for it. He held on tightly to her, helping to create a shield for both Clyde and Captain. He'd never let her know, but he had no more intention of allowing her to rise than she did of letting him get up. He closed his eyes against the brightness and waited for it to all be over . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Council's Court Room**

More than a dozen faces stared down at the floor from the observation booth. They leaned against the railing, all straining to see just what exactly was going on down there. Whispers ran rampant amongst their number. Was this all just a fascinating trick by Albus and Xavier to heal the Pirates, or was something else going on? Drell would have commanded his people to be ready had he thought that there was any way for their prisoners to escape, but knowing that escape was impossible, he merely remained impatiently to see what the lifting of the light would reveal.

"XAVIER!" he finally bellowed out. "DUMBLEDORE! ENOUGH WITH THE PARLOR TRICKS! BE DONE WITH IT ALREADY!" It just so happened that that was the precise moment that the light was pulling away . . .

* * *

As the light had washed over Spike, snatching Kyna from his arms, Spike had jumped to his feet and tried to take her back. The light had taken her completely away despite Spike's immense strength. He had watched in shock as her body was spun literally round and round and her head reattached. He felt sick for his beloved as he watched the dizzying rate she was spun around at.

He had blanched even whiter than his normal color and had not even been aware that he had shouted her name. Was she okay! This was certainly not the normal way of reattaching heads, if he had understood Xena correctly! It was supposed to do it on its own! If those Wizards had screwed up and changed Kyna into something else, they would pay for it! He leaped upward and caught her in his arms just as she began descending . . .

* * *

Prue had watched in shocked disbelief as the light had lifted Brendan. Her arms had reached toward him, but she had been unable to touch even his feet. The light had whipped him around and around, picking up speed until it had looked as though his body was being torn in half, but she had realized that his fur was disappearing and his body staying intact instead.

She had clasped her hands over her open mouth to silence her scream. She could not have bared to watch, but yet she had been unable to tear her tear-filled eyes away lest her last sight of him be what she was now witnessing and he be taken away. At last, her voice had cried out his name as the tears had began running down her face. "**_BRENDAN!_**"

How much pain could one man stand! she had wondered as his roars and howls kept hitting her ears. When she had almost given up hope of him being saved, silence was all that reigned. Had they killed him? If so, she would never stop until she found the culprit and made him pay with every last ounce of his blood!

Then, to her amazement, Brendan was slowly lowered to the floor. She flew to his side at once and never noticed when the light left.

* * *

Kitty had held on to Rachel for a long time even after an invisible force had started pulling her away with a force unlike anything Shadowcat had opposed before. She had held on to Ray for a long time, walking on the air itself to keep her best friend from being snatched out of her grip. She had held on even as she had felt that every inch of her muscle was on fire. She had held on even when Rachel had cried for her to let go and save herself and Lockheed had screeched, roared, and tried his best to beat her off of Rachel. She had held on until she could hold on no more.

The very second her hold had slipped, Rachel was carried away, far up into the room, and into the golden light. Rachel and Kitty screamed. Lockheed roared. Kitty tried to follow only to have Lockheed beat his wings and small arms into her chest, demanding, in no uncertain terms, that she stay where she might at least have a chance of safety.

Kitty phased through her dragon, chiding Lockheed for trying to keep her from saving Rachel. Her words froze in her throat and horror paled her face and filled her as Rachel was wrapped completely in the light that now shone so brilliantly that neither Kitty nor 'Heed could see anything else. It took only a second, it seemed, and then the light lowered Rachel's now-still body to the floor and chased away into the shadows. "**_Rachel!_**" Kitty ran to her friend's side and dropped to her knees beside her.

"Kitty," Rachel responded, her voice quiet and calm, "it's okay. I'm okay."

Lockheed cooed as he and Kitty looked over Ray's body, searching for signs of injury and blood. With gentle hands that brought thrills racing through Rachel's blood and made her heart hammer, Kitty helped her friend to a sitting position, and Lockheed and she examined Ray's back. Woman and dragon looked at each other, their wide eyes sharing the same look of disbelief, amazement, and astonishment.

Lockheed cooed quietly, and Kitty spoke the same in a hushed whisper. "It's a miracle." Though Rachel's gown was still torn open and soaked with blood, her back was completely healed. The whip marks, gashes, and blood were all gone; not even a blemish remained. "Ray . . . "

Rachel, having already seen through Kitty's eyes, interrupted her. "I know . . . It is . . . But . . . But _how_!"

"I don't know, Ray. I don't know," Kitty told her, "but thank the Gods!" Her arms wrapped Rachel in a hug from behind, and Ray sighed and relished the moment as she gave her a return squeeze.

* * *

Cordelia had been horrified when Trent had been lifted away from her by the light, but as unexpectedly as it had taken him away from her, it returned him to the floor before her. She knelt beside him and was checking him over, her hazel eyes round with astonishment, when he began to come to again.

"Sweet Jesus," were the first words out of the blonde man's mouth for he could already tell a miracle had taken place. The pain was gone, and with it, the inability to save his family!

Cordelia pulled back as Trent leapt to his booted feet; she moved just in time to keep from getting hit by the man who hadn't opened his eyes until he got up. He took no time to look at her but did quickly speak. "Thank you, ma'am. I owe you a debt of gratitude for taking care of me and for sending your gentleman friend after my sister, but I must care for my family myself." The words came out in a rush, and he was already running off before she could react.

"Wait!" Cordy called to the blonde's back. "Are you sure you're well enough . . . ?" Her words drifted off. She had seen him, and she knew that he was somehow well. The blood was still on his clothes, so she knew that she was not imagining things. Somehow, by some miracle, he had been healed.

Cordelia's protest turned to, "Wait for me!", as she hurried after him, her mind still baffled at his amazing recovery.

* * *

When Roxanne had turned from the Vampire and seemingly ran away, she had known better than to try to leave a room she could see no exit from. Instead, she had called to her pets to keep going and leave her behind and had turned to run toward a particular spot with a single goal of protecting the beautiful woman who was there. Her goal had quickly changed just enough to include the protection of her two familiars, who even then had refused to leave her and instead flanked her on both sides, pulling their gaits up just enough to keep from outrunning her.

Roxanne had reached the woman of her thoughts just before the light had covered everything and had taken her and her babies in her arms in faint hope of protecting the lot of them. The light had not yet harmed them when an invisible force pushed her away from the other Latina. She had growled and tried to hold on to her but had been shoved off. Now, however, as the light lifted, it returned the still-sleeping woman to the floor.

Roxanne hurried to the other woman's side, her jaguars keeping pace with her every step of the way. She knelt again by her side and looked into her face. She seemed to be peaceful, but still doubt and fear lingered. Roxanne had just reached out to check the woman's pulse when her eyes fluttered open.

The Latina looked from Roxanne to the jaguars to the rest of the room that she could see before looking back at Roxanne. "Donde . . . " she asked. "¿Dónde estoy? ¿Quiénes son usted?"

"You are safe," Roxanne began to tell her but stopped when she saw the look of confusion and fright increase on her beautiful face. "¿No puede usted hablar inglés?"

"Ningún . . . " the woman replied, slowly shaking her head. "Ningún Inglés."

Roxanne smiled comfortingly at the woman. Still speaking in Spanish, she assured her, "That is all right. I will help you and be your translator, if you'll allow it. My name is Roxanne. I'm not quite sure where we are, but I'll keep you safe."

"I saw you . . . " the woman breathed, her dark eyes examining Roxanne's face. " . . . in my dreams . . . "

"I was there with you whenever I could be," Roxanne told her. "I hated what they did to you, but I could not stop them."

"Then you were amongst them?"

Roxanne hung her head in shame. "Si. I was with them, but I had no choice. I kept looking for a way to get us out, or to at least get you out, but could find none until these other people came. Then I saw my opportunity and took it. I never would have harmed you willingly. I'm sorry. I'm . . . I'm so sorry." Tears were welling in her eyes.

The Latina studied the woman before her for a long moment before reaching out and gently touching her face. Roxanne looked up, and she cupped her face with a touch as light as a feather. "It is all right," she told her. "Sometimes we are forced to do what we would never willingly do for we have no other choice. I understand, and I do not hold that against you." As Roxanne smiled at her through her tears, the Latina returned her smile and added, "By the way, my name is Theodora Todd."

"I know," Roxanne's response came out as a choked whisper. She could feel Sasha's head gently bumping her side and Yasmine's side rubbing against her own, and she moved her hands to their spotted heads, scratching them lovingly in silent assurance that she was all right. To herself, Roxanne added, And what a lovely name for such a lovely woman. But how is it that she is well?

How was it indeed, she wondered, that the mysterious light had saved the ravishing beauty before her from certain death? Who had healed Theodora, and where were they so that she might thank them? Unable to thank the person who had performed the miracle, Roxanne sent a silent prayer of gratitude winging its way upward.

* * *

"Aw," Jasmine frowned as the light receded into darkness. "The pretty light's going! Come back!" she called to the light, struggling to get out of the British man's arms. "Come back!"

"Shut up, Jasmine!" Wesley told her, trying to recover from the shock of the light. "Don't call that thing back! There's no telling what it would do if it returned!"

"It'd shine on us again!" she told Wesley as though the answer was obvious.

"But what did it do while it was shining on us?" Wesley asked her. He gazed into the beautiful woman's face but wondered how she could be so damn stupid as to call the light back.

"It shared its beauty with us!" Jasmine replied, her fingers still stretching out toward the last rays of light. "Don't go! We want to be your friend!"

"I don't!" Wesley told her. "I'm glad it's going!" His eyes began to travel around the room, noticing that there were a lot more people stirring now. There seemed to be just as much blood on the clothes, but ones he had seen earlier who had not been moving were now able to sit up.

He slowly began to release Jasmine. If she wanted to chase after the light, he wasn't going to follow her. He just didn't feel like it. His emotions were driving him crazy. One moment, he wanted to holler, and the next minute, he wanted to cry. He wasn't going to let Jasmine make him do either one, and if she was stupid enough to chase into the light and it ate her, that would be one last bit in the world he'd have to put up with.

Jasmine leapt out of Wesley's arms. "Well, it's about time!" she exclaimed, looking down at him. "I mean, really, I'm used to men being so grabby, but they usually try to do _something_ besides hold me against my will!" She looked back up to where the light was going and held out a hand as if to stop it. "Don't go!" she pleaded and raced after it.

Wesley still sat on the floor, shaking his head as he watched Jasmine run. "I hope Jack doesn't blame me for her getting eaten." He attempted to get to his feet but found that he could not without assistance. He glanced around to see if he could find some one to help him get up and was just in time to watch Jasmine run smack dab into a wall. Jasmine backed up and, to Wesley's horror and amazement, hit the wall again. "Gods help the woman!" he muttered even as he spied Carl's rear end sticking out of a hole. "Carl?" he called. "Can you help me?"

* * *

Lex and Joseph lay only five feet apart, and yet neither man had the slightest inkling that the other even existed. They lay on the floor, Joseph's hair a flowing river of white beneath him, their blue eyes staring up at the golden light that had encompassed everything, and their minds whirlwinds of thoughts. Lex thought of Clark and their children, wondered about their locations, and feared for their safety and well-being. He wondered why his father was there, mulled over the possible schemes that Lionel could be pulling, and fretted over what he might really be doing and just what devious scheme he _was_ setting into motion. He wondered and worried about Faith, Jack, and the others, as well, and prayed for his entire family's safety and survival. He reflected, not for the first time, how his dear, sweet Clark had him praying more these days than he'd ever thought he would. He feared greatly for his beloved, their children, and their family and continued to pray for their safe deliverance from the living nightmare their lives had became over the last couple of days.

Unlike Lex, whose wandering mind merely kept returning to Clark every couple of seconds, Joseph's mind was completely wrapped around his beloved Rogue. He feared for her and hurt for her undoubtable hatred of him when he still loved her with his every ounce so strongly that the two feelings had become a physical ache in his heart. Every now and then, the strange familiarity of the holding cell would flit through Joseph's mind and he would wonder and worry about it, but always his thoughts and his prayers remained on his Rogue.

Even after the light had gone and the others began to move around, Joseph and Lex stayed where they were, still laying on the cold, stone floor, their minds still circling around the continuously repeating thoughts. Lex refused to give the advantage of surprise up to his father, and Joseph simply did not have the heart to rise with his beloved hating his guts . . . though, he reminded himself time and again, she had every right to . . . "Rogue . . . " His whisper of her name was more akin to a whimper, and still he did not move . . .

* * *

Lost deep still in his dreams, Clark mumbled once again. "Let me sleep a little while longer, Lex." In answer came a rolling ball of fur landing upon Sir Didymus and knocking him straight into Clark's chest. The ensuing battle between cat and dog woke Clark suddenly to find the world gone mad with claws and teeth. He barely managed to get out of their way before an all-out battle became a mad melee of flying fur.

"STOP IT THIS INSTANT!" Clark yelled at the two. "WE DO NOT NEED TO BE FIGHTING AMONGST OURSELVES!" More awake and alert now, he reached out and snatched the gray tabby just before Didymus could strike him with his cane. "Where did you come from?"

Willow looked up at him, his claws stopping just short of Clark's face. "Mrrw?"

"Sir Didymus, stop that at once," Clark commanded the dog, who had just hit him on the foot with his cane, "or I will take your cane away!"

Didymus looked up at the young man. "You might find that quite difficult, young sir! No one takes my cane away, not even the King! He said, 'Didymus, guard the bridge,' and I have guarded it faithfully. Out of all those who came, none of them could take my cane and keep it, not even that crazy Ludo!"

"He is my brother. Would you believe that he can call the rocks and that they come to him? But I have not seen him this night! I am afraid that he has fallen!" The small dog sat down and grew very quiet, missing his brother.

Clark shook his head. It was hard enough to believe that a dog was actually talking to him, but he found it to be even more incredible that another dog could call the rocks. Weren't they inanimate objects? He'd have to talk to Lex about it as soon as he found him. "Didymus, have you seen Lex?"

But Didymus was too far gone to hear him, and it was the tabby cat who answered him. "Meow." He pointed his striped tail in the direction he had last seen Lex.

Clark picked up Didymus and started following behind the tabby, hoping he would soon find Lex.

* * *

As soon as the light was gone, Ororo lowered Logan and Paige to the floor and landed the three of them before Cole, Piper, and Kit, whose fur was still sticking out from his position in Piper's arms. Her blue eyes and dark face were filled with worry as she questioned with the tone of a worried mother-hen, "Is every one all right?" Immediately, her arms reached out for her girls and brought them into a hug.

Logan stood on shaky legs. He had had more than enough of flying and didn't care if he ever got up there again. His eyes glared angrily at where he knew the Judges sat. "Little darlin', most o' us are okay right now, but I gotta feelin' that that's gonna change in a little bit. I don't know what those gritty little bastards want, but I've got something fer 'em if they come after us."

"As do I, Wolverine," Ororo replied, her voice smooth and calm, as she uncovered Piper's and Paige's ears, "but be careful when you choose your target. They may not all be as they appear. Piper, Paige," she persisted, "are you both all right?"

Even as she listened for her girls' answers, Ororo's mind was busily speaking to another who she hoped could hear her. Charles, what on the Goddess' blessed Earth was that!

Piper nodded, keeping her own fear well hid, even as she reached behind her for Cole's hand. "We're fine."

Paige nodded as she reached out to scratch Kit's head and try to calm the cat. "She's right, Aunt Ororo. Whatever it was, the light didn't hurt us."

Both girls eyes peered anxiously at their godmother, and they spoke the question that wore heavily on their minds at the same time. "Are _you_ all right?"

"I-I'm perfectly fine," Ororo assured them with a warning air that they should not ask any further questions.

Cole's dark brown eyes darted around the room. "It seems that every one is recovering, but I wonder if any one's powers have returned?" It was then that his eyes came to rest on Jasmine. "Except for that one. What is her problem?"

As the rest of the group turned to look at the blonde woman Cole indicated, Ororo received Charles' answer. I . . . I am not sure, my child, but I did not cause it. She could tell that he was distracted but would never have dreamed that he was in another man's arms and trying to reassure him that he was indeed all right. It does, however, appear, to have had a bit of a healing quality with it.

* * *

Smee had kept his position on James for as long as he could. He had fought against the laughter even as it had bubbled out of him like steam rising out of a tea kettle. He had been managing rather well until his boys had converged on him, as well, and, taking a cue from their father, had also started tickling him. Vang and Zora had watched the scene unfolding, she being uncertain as to how the situation was going to work out and he having a foreboding feeling in his gut. They had stood side by side, watching silently, until, suddenly, Smee had lost the tickling war.

When he finally got off of James, Smee did not simply fall off nor did he stand up. Instead, he popped off with such momentum that his chubby arms accidentally knocked into both his boys' long legs. He landed hard on his round bottom on the floor and slid across the floor at a nauseating rate. He went right through Joxer and Phoebe, his fat body and the momentum of the impact sending them flying up into the air and tumbling down. They landed hard behind him as he kept sliding.

When Smee's slide finally came to an end, it was through a meeting with something big and solid. He came to a halt against it, but by the time he had turned his dazed head around to look, the big, black man was gone, running in a new direction across the floor. Smee didn't care. He just let him go as he tried to regain control of his senses.

The first thing Smee realized after the dizziness had left him at last was that the light was gone. The second was the fact that he had just acted like a fool. A cry broke from Samuel and shook his belly as he thought that there was no wonder why James didn't love him. How could he love a fat, old fool whose tub of lard had nearly crushed him for no apparent reason whatsoever? His hands balled into tight, little fists, and he shoved his eyes down upon them as he wept once more.

No wonder James didn't love him! No wonder he hated him and would rather have a woman! He was a failure, a stupid, little, fat failure who no more deserved James than . . . than . . . than that ugly bitch from last night had! Of course, though, he had to admit, at least she wasn't fat . . . He cried even more at that thought.

* * *

Trina stirred and called out a name. "Carlos?" The word was a mere mumble, barely audible save by Vampire ears.

"No," Angel replied softly. "It's just me." He still had trouble believing what his eyes had just witnessed. He had been carrying Trina, returning to Trent, when Trina had been plucked literally from his arms and carried upward in the light. She now appeared to be whole, as though she had never been harmed in the first place. Not even a bruise appeared on her delicate, lovely skin, but the blood still lay on her clothes and they were torn.

He knelt beside her on the floor so that she could get a better look at him, hoping that she'd remember him. After what she'd been through, he would have wondered if he could even remember his own name. What had caused that light? There was no way that he believed that the Wizards had done it. He did not trust them and always thought that their powers were just for show, so how could they have done something this real?

Trina was not yet sitting up but was going over the memories of the previous night; the memories of what had happened paled her skin and made her hands shake to the point that she slid them underneath her to force them to be still. It was just at that time that Angel's face came into her vision. She tried to smile, but her lips trembled. "Angel. Have you seen my brother or a . . . a brown-skinned man with short, curly, black hair?" She knew he wouldn't know what a Mexican was to save his life, but even as she spoke, her blue eyes remained haunted.

"I just left your brother a little while ago with my lady so that I could come and get you. He was not in any shape to fetch you. There are a lot of people here, and I have not seen the other man that you speak of. That does not mean that he is not here, just that I haven't seen him. Are you able to walk, or do you need me to carry you? We should be getting back to your brother before he runs off in a blind panic again. If he does that, Cordy will not be able to hold him."

"I . . . I can manage." She got to her feet even as questions filled her mind and fear her heart. Her heart beat so loudly that she knew he could probably hear it as she wondered how badly Trent was hurt, where Carlos was, and if he was okay. She remembered Andrew, and her heart hurt even more. She knew he had not been the only one deceitful in their relationship, and that knowledge hurt still more.

"Angel," she spoke, as though still gathering her thoughts which indeed she was, "Trent still does not know what Spike is."

"Best not tell him," Angel told her. "He doesn't know what I am either unless you told him. What did the light do to you, Trina? You were in bad shape, and now you seem to be whole. In fact, I do not smell open wounds."

He gazed at her curiously as he stood before her. He still wondered who had caused the light and what their intent and purpose was behind it. Could it simply be that they wanted to heal his people? He hoped so, but he knew, throughout his long existence, that nothing had ever been as simple as it appeared to be on the surface. Now he wondered what repercussions would follow the light.

"I didn't see any light," Trina told him, her blue eyes flitting around the room that was as dark as a starless, new moon night. "But I do know I shouldn't be well. I was hit." She attempted to leave it at that.

"You were more than hit, Trina. You were bleeding to death. One of the Piratesses from the Saucy Wench claimed to be a doctor and was working on you when I found you. Even though she did her best, you were still dying. I could smell it on you, but that smell's gone now."

He gazed down into her eyes. "I was trying to carry you to Trent when the light ripped you from my arms. It took you up, twirled you around three times, and then gently lowered you back to the floor. I knew it was doing something to you, but I couldn't reach you. It was as though I was held in place. Then, just as suddenly as it came, it left, and you are as you are now."

"In other words," Trina questioned, "somehow the light healed me?"

"That's the only thing I can figure," Angel told her, "but I don't know who caused the light. I heard one from above telling Albus and Xavier that they had done well, but I don't think those Wizards did anything! When have you ever known Wizards to actually do something helpful?"

Trina looked at Angel for a moment as a thought wondered through her mind. Andrew was an Angel. Angels could supposedly heal, but he had said that he was the Angel of Death. Surely the Angel of Death didn't go around healing people? He couldn't have been behind the light, Trina told herself, and she needed to just stop thinking about him and concentrate on finding Trent and Carlos and making certain they were all right.

Aloud, she answered Angel, "There are probably just as many who have never heard of a helpful Wizard as those who've never heard of a good Vampire. If not for Dumbledore and Xavier, we wouldn't have even known that y'all needed our help."

"That may be true, but I still don't think that they have the power to pull something like this off." He was beginning to wonder why Trina had not asked about Andrew. He had not seen him anywhere, even though the last time he had seen Trina, Andrew had been glued to her butt. Did she know that he was dead? Had she seen him killed and was blocking it from her mind? He knew that Andrew was not a mortal man but had never told Trina as he figured she knew it and that it was their secret, not his, to be spreading around. His curiosity forced him to ask the question, "And what of Andrew? Was he killed?"

Trina's eyes fell from Angel's the very second he spoke Andrew's name. Her heart hammered in her ears like a roaring tidal wave. "He . . . He . . . " Dear God, how was she supposed to tell Angel that Andrew wasn't a human, he was an Angel, and not just any Angel but the Angel of Death, _and_ that what had happened was truly just as much her own fault for not being able to completely shake her feelings for Carlos as it was Andrew's for not telling her that their time together was limited if she did not agree to be his bride!

* * *

Sean had kept his eyes on Emma the whole time, even after the light had passed. The light had simply circled around Emma. He had seen others being lifted and thought that they perhaps had more healing to be done, but his poor Em had injuries that no amount of magic could heal. No, it went far deep inside her head, inside that beautiful mind of hers. While being one of her greatest gifts, it was also one of her curses, and he could not deal with what he feared was going on in there.

He clutched her tightly, but still she did not give a reaction. "Em?" he whispered. "Please find yerself an' come home tae me fer I can nae come an' look fer ye an' I be lost wit'out ye." Tears ran unchecked down his face and fell upon his beloved's face.

Blue eyes fluttered open as tears rained down upon her. She wiped them from her face and stared at the man who held her. "Who," she whispered, finding her voice, "are you?" He was handsome, but she was certain she'd never seen him before in all her life.

"Ah, me beautiful Em!" Sean's voice caressed Em's ears. "Alas, but ye di nae remember me, but I am yer own Sean, yer husband! I love ye greatly, lass! I pray yer memories return soon." He did not press his lips to hers though he longed to; he did not wish to frighten her.

Emma's body had gone stiff in Sean's arms the moment he had declared himself as her husband. "Release me!" she demanded. "I am not your wife, nor do I even know this Em you speak of!" Just what _was_ her name, though, she wondered? Surely it could not be something as . . . common as "Em"?

Sean released her with a sad look on his face. "I swear tae ye, lass, that it 'tis the truth. Me name is Sean Cassidy, an' yer name is Emma." He did not add the Frost, because he was afraid that that would really set her off. "What di ye remember, Em?"

The very second he had released her, Emma had gotten to her feet and backed away from him. She kept him in full sight but stopped backing up at his question. Instead, she tried hard to remember. She struggled to remember. She fought to remember. Yet she could recall . . . "Nothing," she whispered, her face as pale as though she'd seen a ghost. "Absolutely nothing."

Sean pondered. How could he prove to her who he was? His ring had been taken when they had been captured, and Em's ring had probably been taken a long time ago by those dastardly Piratesses who had had her so his alone would not have made a difference. The only people who knew that they were married were people who would scare her even more: Kurt, a blue Demon; James, a man with a hook for a hand; and Salem, a black, talking cat. Would she even take time to listen to them before she freaked out and ran away even further? No, he could not present any of them, not until she had found more of her mind.

"Em, I swear tae ye that it is the truth. I mean ye nae harm. I love ye. Ye're me wife. We were in a terrible battle wit' a Demon who mindswiped ye. That's why ye din't have any memories. Thank Goddess ye're alive! But I knae not what tae di tae convince ye."

Emma stared at the man, who she was certain was spouting complete blarney. He might be cute, but if he thought she was going to let her good senses go to the wind and believe the bull he was spouting . . . Well, he must not know her at all for surely, whoever she was, she could not have been an idiot! _Nor_, she thought, realizing what she wearing or, rather, not wearing, would she have fought so nearly completely in the nude. She cast a frantic glance around for clothing.

Sean watched Emma's eyes, looking everywhere but at him, and realized that she was looking for something to put on. He wasn't sure what to think of this new Em, but he did not want to do anything quickly to frighten her more. His eyes, too, began to search for clothing, and seeing one of the black robes, he stepped toward it and collected it. Bringing it back to Em, he offered it to her.

Emma quickly snatched the offered robe and swiftly drew it over her head. Even as her hands smoothed it out and made sure that it covered her, she looked again at the Irish man who claimed to be her husband. "Thank you, . . . Sean." The name did have a familiar taste to it.

* * *

Kneeling, Prue held Brendan close. She was amazed that her hands were now touching human flesh but still scared to death for her love. "Brendan?" she whispered, shaking him gently. "Please, Gods, he has to be all right!" she prayed.

Prue did not know how long she had knelt, holding and shaking Brendan, when his eyes fluttered open at last. A weak smile slowly spread over Brendan's face as his brown eyes gazed up into Prue's lovely face. He reached a hand up to cup her cheek, and his thumb caught a tear.

Prue's eyes flashed open as she felt his touch, and without a single word, she leaned forward and kissed him. Thank you, Gods, she whispered, for sparing him.

Brendan's fingers threaded into Prue's long, ebony hair. He could have kissed her forever . . . if only he had the freedom to do so. He let her lips linger on his for a moment and allowed himself to relish her sweet taste before gently pulling away. His eyes reminded her of his reluctance to do so and of his fear that forced him to stop them even as his husky voice gently whispered to her. "Prue, what . . . what's happening?"

"I'm not sure of what is happening and what just happened. How much do you know of what's going on?"

"The last thing I remember is . . . " His eyes moved from hers, lowering instead to a spot of stone floor he could see just behind her. " . . . is . . . the hold . . . " He bit down on the emotions that roared within him at the memories, the memories of what Helvira had done to him while Prue, his sweet, loving, innocent Prue, had been forced to watch . . .

"That's over now, sweetheart," she said as she gently brushed his hair out of his eyes, "but we're still prisoners. We've been taken somewhere, and we're being held in a dungeon. You've been gone a while." Her mind flashed back to what had happened between them earlier, and she was glad he did not remember what had almost happened. "Your wolf was good. You would have been proud of him."

"Never."

"He got me to safety," she continued, choosing to ignore his growled comment, "and he kept me safe." She didn't know whether or not to tell him what had happened with Jack and the hold or that Will had almost run him through with a silver sword. She'd let Jack tell him later. For now, she just wanted to be close to him; knowing that he was okay made her feel better.

Part of her realized that Brendan was naked and that he definitely would not like that. She thought for a moment as to what she could do to cover him as she knew it was a great embarrassment, although she couldn't help but to admire the scenery. Her eyes drifted from him and saw something laying on the floor near them. She reached out her hand and admired the softness of the cloth as she pulled it toward them. It turned out to be one of the robes that had been thrown down earlier. She put it over him as though it were a blanket. She smiled at him.

Brendan's hand closed around Prue's as she covered him. "You need that worse -- " He stopped as the cold breezes drifting over his body finally let him know that he was naked . . . again. He purpled and quickly donned the robe.

Prue didn't say anything. She just shook her head and kept smiling at him.

Brendan could not face Prue. Instead, he looked everywhere but at her. They did appear to be in a dungeon of sorts, but where were their captors and what did they want them for? "Are they . . . the same ones?" he questioned, his odd tone still betraying his embarrassment.

Prue leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "You've got nothing to be ashamed of, darling. I'm not. In fact, it's promises of tomorrow which excite me greatly."

"_Prue!_" Brendan admonished, but she only straightened and ignored his tone. Aloud, she told him, "I don't think they are. They're up there somewhere." Her eyes drifted upward.

Brendan followed Prue's gaze, choosing not to comment further on her whispers that had turned him an even darker shade of red. His eyes bored into the darkness above them, and he wondered when their captors would again show their faces and wished his human eyesight were better. When they did come among them again, he would do everything in his power to convince them to free Prue.

* * *

Ororo was only momentarily distracted by Paige's laughter and left it to Piper to scold the girl and put her in her rightful, ladylike place. "Paige! You should not laugh at the handicapped! It is not a laughing matter! Silence yourself immediately!"

"Well, it is funny . . . "

Paige's voice seemed to drone on to Ororo as she continued telepathically communicating with Charles. Healing? Are you quite certain?

I am. Look around you, my dear. They may still have blood on them, but how many do you see maneuvering now as opposed to before?

"It is not funny, Paige!" Piper snapped. "Imagine if that were you!"

"Hey! I'd never walk into a wall, especially not over and over and over again!" The redhead started to giggle, but the giggle died in her throat at Piper's sharp look.

Cole looked at Piper. "Maybe we should see about her before she does herself some real harm?"

Piper nodded. "And as for you," her eyes continued to cut daggers into her little sister, "I'll remember your comments when I find a bar of soap! You can be sure of that!" She waited, expectantly, for Cole to shimmer them to the aid of the woman . . . Jasmine?

There does seem to be quite a number, Charles, but are you certain that that's the cause and not fear?

I am.

Cole took Piper's hand and shimmered over to Jasmine. The very second they were gone, Paige stuck out her tongue at where she could see her sister safely on the other side of the room. She turned back around. She had known that Ororo had been distracted by something or else she never would have attempted a raspberry.

Ororo was still distracted, but Paige was surprised to find Wolverine glaring at her. Her eyes widened, and she swallowed at the motion he made with one hand. She eyed him in worried suspicion and was relieved to see that he did not pop a claw out at her.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

**The Council's Court Room**

James had jumped to his feet and looked dazedly around as he regained his breath. He could not believe that Smee had slid all the way across the floor and had given chase, hoping to catch him before he crashed into something big that would hurt him. He was worried about Smee, who seemed to be losing it completely. Just why Smee had refused to let him up, James was not completely sure. He had looked but had not seen anything but a bright light that he had no reason to believe contained any danger.

He finally reached Smee and knelt down beside his lover. He scratched his head in frustration as Smee's heart-wrenching sobs hit him in his heart and caused him to emit a sigh of grief. How was he ever going to prove to Smee that he didn't want anybody but Smee? How could he ever reach his love's mind before he completely sailed over the deep end?

Smee would not even look at him, but James slid his arms around him and held him. "Go ahead and cry if it helps to ease the pain, Samuel, but don't ever try to outrun me 'cause I'll just keep running until I catch you. You'll never get away from me." He leaned forward, gently kissed Smee on the neck, and began to rub his head and what little hair was there.

He remembered a time when Smee had had so much hair that he hadn't known what to do with it and wished, for Smee's sake, that he still had that hair. It had not been Smee's fault, but his and Salem's that had led the others astray. Like a blind fool, he had followed Salem down every hole, nook, and cranny because he believed in him so strongly, but in doing so, he had cost himself and Smee more than they could ever regain. He kissed Smee once again and continued to hold his best friend.

The whole time James had been holding Smee, talking to him, and kissing him, Smee had been shaking within James' arms. Now, he managed to gather his strength for another attempt to pull away. "Let go of me! Go back to your women! I know they're what you want, so just let go of me and let me rot in my misery!"

"When you get out of your mood, Samuel, you're going to realize how foolish you're talking. I've never wanted any one but you rather you believe that or not, not since the first moment I met you! I told you that woman had me under a spell! Why won't you believe me!" He did not let go but regained what little he had lost. He was determined not to lose Samuel.

Smee fought even harder to break free as he wailed against James, "STOP! Stop lying to me! The boys aren't even here now! There's no reason for you to keep lying! What is it? Are you so afraid that you're not going to have a servant! Just let go of me!"

It had been so long since James had thought of Samuel as a servant that it took a minute for it to register. "You're not a servant! You're my companion! You're my love! When did you think I stopped wanting you? Because you got a little extra fat on? That just gives me more to hold on to!"

"I love you, Samuel, and somewhere in that head of yours, and your heart, you know it too! It doesn't matter if the whole world knows it! In fact, I'll _tell_ the whole world!" He jumped to his feet and yelled out loud, "JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW IT, I LOVE SAMUEL SMEE!"

A hush fell around, and people turned to look at what James was hollering about before returning to their own problems. A small spattering of applause was heard from above as a voice exclaimed, "This never ceases to be entertaining! I should have thought of this before! Retrials are such fun!"

"Trials are always fun," another voice agreed, "but retrials are the best!"

"Aw, but look!" a third exclaimed. "He's running away!" Sure enough, Smee was hauling his self-proclaimed tub of lard as fast as he could away from James. The very moment the woman opened her mouth, he ducked and hid behind a lioness and wolf. He tried to flatten himself against the floor, hoping that James would not see him.

James stood and watched as Samuel ran from him. A feeling of hopelessness enclosing his body like a glove, he shook his head sadly and walked back to where he had left his boys. He looked at them. "I just don't know what to do any more."

A tear slid down his face and hung for a moment on his mustache before dropping the rest of the way to the floor. He sat down, because his limbs wouldn't hold him any more. "Gloom, despair, and agony on me!" he muttered. "Samuel doesn't love me any more!" He broke down and began to sob in earnest.

Connor and Frederic looked at each other, then at their father Smee, whose rear end they could see sticking out from behind a wolf's tail, and then at their father, James. At the same time, they muttered in unison, "Parents!" They, too, were at a loss and wished that they were back on the island so that they could begin to help their parents get back together. They patted James on the back, wordlessly letting him know that they were there for him. They decided to let Smee stay where he was at the moment but keep a careful, watchful eye upon him.

* * *

"So," Rachel asked after they'd sat that way for a while and she was beginning to lose the battle with her hormones, "not that I'm complaining, but why aren't you with your man? What's his name again? Kurt?"

Ray felt the change in Kitty's emotions as the Piratess pulled away. "Yeah," Kitty spoke quietly, and Rachel felt her sadness almost as strongly as though it were her own. "He . . . went crazy."

"Already?" Ray knew that her attempt to make light of the situation had failed immediately.

"Yeah." Kitty sighed; then, Pryde quickly changed the subject. "Did I tell you I met my Father?"

"Your Father?"

Kitty nodded. "My real Dad." She got to her feet and offered Rachel a hand, which she eagerly accepted. "He should be here somewhere." Together, the two women turned and began the search, Lockheed flying above them and keeping an ever-vigilant eye out both for them and for another certain dragon who had yet to stop crying . . . The purple dragon cooed sadly as he watched the long tears dripping off of the blue dragon's snout.

* * *

Elizabeth awoke to faces peering anxiously down into hers. One belonged to a brunette woman who was looking up and around just as Elizabeth opened her eyes. The other belonged to a blonde, whose worried face she could see more clearly. She recognized the woman as being Gabrielle, and that knowledge told her that the brunette woman dressed in black leather could be no other than Xena, Pirate Princess.

But where was Autolycus? She felt some one shift beside her just before she could call for him and looked in that direction. There he sat with his head bowed and a deeply serious look over his handsome features. Goodness! He couldn't . . . He couldn't be _praying_ . . . for _her_ . . . could he? "Toly?" she whispered, her hand reaching out toward his face.

Autolycus opened his eyes and lifted his head. His prayers had worked! Elizabeth was alive, and she was looking at him as though he had done something very brave and she was proud of him! When the light had come, he had felt the warm glow of it, but it had not done anything to harm them, so he had remained praying. Now, it seemed that it had done something: it had healed Elizabeth!

"Elizabeth, honey, I love you!" He smiled at her, wishing he had a fancy jewel to lay at her feet, but he did have one. No, he reminded himself, he had given it to Teak. I'll just have to find another. I need something that will match her eyes. It'll be a great surprise. He crept closer to her, took her hand in his, lifted it to his lips, and kissed it. It did not matter that her clothes were torn and dirty; he thought he had never seen a more beautiful woman in his entire life.

Gabrielle stood slowly and quietly as Autolycus inched closer to Elizabeth. She nudged Xena and stepped away from the couple to give them a chance to be together before the crap resumed hitting the fan.

Xena had stood while the light had bathed over her, and she had almost been able to touch something that had happened a long time ago. Almost, but not quite, a memory had returned. She shook herself mentally, wondering what it could have been. The light had felt warm and almost caressing.

She smiled a tired smile at Gabrielle. She was more than ready for this long night to be over. She wanted to go home to her ship but knew that that would never happen again as the Sea Witch was long gone to Davy Jones' locker. She would probably never have another, but she had to have a home of some kind. She had to have a roof over her Gabby's head. She felt the call of hearth and home very strongly and longed to rest her aching body. She pulled Gabrielle into a hug.

Elizabeth gazed into Autolycus' eyes as he kissed her hand, Gabrielle's and Xena's embrace going completely unnoticed behind him. All she could see was Toly, and for now, he was all she cared about. She smiled tiredly but lovingly at him. "I love you, too, Autolycus." She leaned up and pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. She had only thought she had loved Will. She did love him but only as a brother. What she shared with Autolycus was a true love that far outshone anything she'd ever felt before, for Will or Jack, and she knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that she had found her Pirate at last.

* * *

Carl's head stuck out of the hole from between his legs. The top of his head brushed his own massive rear end. His beady eyes looked around for Wesley, and when he spotted him, his mouth fell open.

Wes' mouth dropped open at the awkward position Carl was in. He had not realized how big the Gnome's butt was until now. "Can you help me get up? I've got to go after that bit. I don't want to, but I don't want the Captain breathing down my neck either."

Carl waddled out of the hole before straightening and walking normally once more. His wide eyes remained glued on Wesley's stomach as he neared the Scientist. "What," the Gnome questioned fearfully, "happened to you?"

"Jasmine says I got fat, but I just don't see how! It's not possible to blimp up like this over night from being too fat, and just yesterday, I was skinny! I had to unfasten my pants. They were about to burst, and still I'm growing! I've got to get help to find out what it is, but I can't get to my feet." He looked pleadingly at Carl.

Carl's eyes remained on Wesley's stomach as he offered him a hand. "Did you eat any kind of dirt?" he queried.

"Dirt!" Wesley exclaimed. "Never! I've eaten some strange foods before, such as haggis, but it's been a long time! That wouldn't be affecting me now! Maybe one of those Piratesses put a spell on me? I don't remember much except being in that galley and . . . that bitch raping me."

Carl's eyes still did not move from Wesley's gut as he pulled him to his feet. Surely that couldn't have . . . ? No, no, he wouldn't even think like that! He swallowed hard and glanced furtively around. "Brendan's not exactly in a position to help right now. I don't know where Gabrielle is."

"If you see them, please send one of them to me. Right now, I've got to go get that bit before she knocks herself out cold on that wall!"

Carl looked to where Wesley was gazing at and shook his head. Blondes like Jasmine, whose latest stupid trick was running repeatedly into a wall, really did give the rest of them bad names, he thought, running a hand through his own blonde hair. No wonder he'd dyed his hair so often in his younger days!

"Thanks, Carl," Wesley told him even as he pressed his hand to the small of his back and began to waddle toward where Jasmine was in danger of knocking herself out. He did not get very far when a gurgling in his stomach made him know he had to throw up. He did so violently, barely missing Carl, who screeched and ran.

Maybe, on second thought, he'd better stay right where he was? He really didn't feel like moving across the room, and it wasn't as though Jasmine had that many brains left to lose any way. A chill ran through his body even as he continued to throw up.

* * *

"Trina!"

Trina turned toward the sound of Trent's voice, a sound she thought she had never been happier to hear. Her trembling lips turned upward into a bright smile that she hoped no one could tell she was faking as her brother raced toward them. She met him with a hug. "Trent! Thank God you're all right!" She saw a brunette coming up behind her twin and figured that the woman must be Angel's lady.

Angel smiled at Cordelia as they came up to meet them. He looked at Trent and realized that he, too, had been healed. He had been on Death's door when he had last seen him, and now he was as well as his sister. What miracle had they just been witness to, and who had caused it? He could lay it at only one door and figured that Aphrodite had returned after Her disappearance from the night before and was making sure that Her people were all healed.

Returning to the talk he had been having with Trina and realizing that he was not going to get an answer about Andrew, he said, "I don't think it was the Wizards. I think it was Aphrodite." His hand reached out toward Cordelia, wanting for her to take it.

Cordelia took Angel's hand the moment he offered it to her. She stepped closer to him, closing the distance between them swiftly, and entwined her fingers with his just as both Malloys parted to stare at Angel.

Trent stared at Angel, the look on his face clearly stating he didn't believe that that was even remotely possible, but it was Trina who spoke. "It may have been." Her eyes stayed locked on her brother's face, and when Trent looked back to her, a silent warning passed between them.

Angel did not miss the look pass between the siblings, but his mind was solely intent upon Cordelia. The last time he had seen her, her hair had been sticking straight up and her clothes almost torn off. Her clothes were still almost torn off, but her skin was no longer black but creamy and smooth once again and her hair lay as it normally did, gently around her face. He figured that, yet again, here was some one who had been healed.

His eyes began to wander around, taking in those he had passed and had known to be on their last legs. He now saw them sitting up or standing and looking as though they had never been to war save for their clothes, which were torn and, in some cases, bloodied or even missing. He saw some of their people who now wore robes. Where had those come from? he wondered.

The only one he still saw on their knees was Kurt Wagner, who was still intently praying. Had he caused all of this! If so, he was definitely more powerful than Angel had figured him to be! He pulled Cordelia close and, for a brief moment, buried his face in her hair, breathing in the clean scent of his beloved.

His mind was a whirl as everything that had transpired through the light was beyond his understanding. He hoped that it would reveal itself but doubted it. He wanted to get close to Kurt Wagner as soon as possible and check out what the Priest knew of it.

* * *

The Priest in question opened his yellow eyes and gazed intently into Hercules' brown eyes. "Zank you, mein Lord. I knew zat you vould save mein people. I am forever in your debt. Please help me to do vhat you vant me to do, and please help Katzchen to forgive me."

Hercules smiled with mingled sadness at Kurt. "I am not a Love God," he warned him, "but I will do whatever I can. I will also put in a good word for you with Aphrodite."

"Vhat does she have to do vith zis?" Kurt asked. "She abandoned us during the night. You came to save us, Oh Mighty Lord." Again, he bowed his head to the floor, unaware that from across the room, Angel was staring holes into him.

Hercules shifted in discomfort at the way Kurt bowed to Him. He had never been one for bowing and had already been trying unsuccessfully to get Kurt to stand. "We are Gods, Kurt, but even we can not always control our . . . our baser impulses." Gods knew He was living proof of that. "Aphrodite did all She could last night and has even been here this morning."

"But you did the light, didn't you?" Kurt's voice trembled as he asked, lifting himself back to a sitting position. "Are you saying zat She . . . " he searched his mind for an appropriate word but realized that Hercules would know what he was thinking as his mind flashed to the possibility that Aphrodite might have frugaled during the night.

"I was behind the light, yes, and I did heal your people. Aphrodite . . . " He blushed. "She tries hard, has a good heart, and cares for many, but She still has a lot to learn."

Kurt knew that was the only answer he was apt to get from Hercules and knew better than to ask further. Hercules was leaving it to his imagination, and he tried very hard not to go down that avenue. "Is She here now? Vhat did She do vhen She was here, or is She doing it now?" His eyes peered anxiously around the room, but he could see nothing out of the ordinary.

"She was here earlier and is always with Her people in spirit."

Kurt just had to know what She had been doing but didn't know how to ask it without taking the chance of angering Hercules. "But . . . ?" The word hung in the air.

Hercules shook His head. "She will tell you when She is ready."

"Vill you take us out of here to safety?" He wondered if Hercules would bother with them further and knew that, if He wanted to, He could take them out of there in the blink of an eye. Once again, he gazed as close to Hercules' eyes as he dared to. At least they weren't glowing, so he didn't think He was angry at him yet for having the audacity to ask Him such questions.

"I can not interfere directly," Hercules told him. "I am sorry, My son, but even We Gods have our limitations save All Our Father, the All Mighty Zeus." There had been a time when to talk as He was now doing of Zeus would have made Him cringe, but that had been several centuries ago. "I will always be near and will help in any way I can."

"Except that You will not take us out of here? Vhat do zey vant of us?"

"I can not," Hercules repeated. "It will be all right, however, and you are here for a reason. That is all I can tell you. Be strong, and let your heart lead you." He was already beginning to fade out.

Kurt watched until he could no longer see Hercules. Then he got to his feet and looked around for his Kitty. He saw that there were no others on the floor that he could see and breathed a heartfelt prayer, sending it to Hercules even though He was gone. He could not get over the fact that he could actually see his God and that his God was not an angry God but One that was easy to talk to. He saw Kitty standing with Rachel, whose clothes were soaked with blood, and headed in their direction.

* * *

It took only a second for Cole and Piper to reappear behind Jasmine. "Jasmine? Are you okay?" he asked as he reached out one hand and stopped her from running into the wall again.

"Jasmine?" she asked as though she did not recognize the name. The woman swayed, and Piper eyed her suspiciously. She'd never seen any one act like this before! "That's a . . . a pretty name." She turned slightly around and looked at them from crossed eyes. "What about you? What's your name? You're handsome."

Piper quickly reminded herself that the girl was a handicap and Cole was merely attempting to help the fool, then just as quickly admonished herself for thinking like Paige and Phoebe. "His name's Cole, and I'm Piper. Jasmine is your name."

"It is?" She swayed again.

Cole wondered what was wrong with Jasmine. The last time he had heard any one talking to her, she had seemed to at least recognize her name. Now, she didn't. Had she already knocked herself crazy? He knew that if Piper and himself did not help her, nobody else would. Still, he was at a loss as to what to do for her.

Pull yourself together, Piper, Piper admonished herself. Cole's got no interest in her other than helping her, and he's certainly not the type to be attracted to what Phoebe would call a bimbo. Releasing Cole's hand, Piper gently took hold of Jasmine's arm. "Come sit with me, Jasmine, and we can talk about this."

"No!" Jasmine exclaimed, tearing away from Piper's gentle hold. "I want to find the light!"

Cole looked at the crazy woman. "The light is gone, Jasmine, and it's not coming back, so you've got to find something else to do. You can't go after it, so why not come and sit with Piper? You can tell us all about the pretty light."

"I . . . I can't . . . " Jasmine spoke slowly, as though she was having great difficulty thinking of the words. "I . . . I was doing something before that light . . . It was so pretty! Did you see it?"

"Yes, we did, but we don't know where it came from," Cole told her, "nor do we know where it went." Gods, women! he thought. He knew that if he did not get her somewhere quiet, she was going to drive him crazy. Between her and the younger Halliwells, he didn't know if he'd make it or not. He wasn't used to women, especially not crazy women, and that made three of the craziest he'd ever met. Only Piper remained sane as Prue was too bold for her own good. No matter what happened, Piper always seemed to take it in stride. He wondered how she was going to handle this.

Jasmine waved her hand in the air. "Ooo! Ooo! Ooo!"

Piper wondered what on Earth the girl's problem could be now. Did she need to go to the bathroom? "Yes, Jasmine?" Piper asked slowly, knowing full well that she was going to regret the question.

"I know where the light went!"

"You do?" Cole asked. "Where?"

Jasmine turned and pointed to the wall. "In there! I'm going to follow it! Come with me!" She started to walk into the wall again, but Piper's reflexes were quick as she placed herself between Jasmine and the wall.

"Jasmine," Piper called her name. She spoke in a hushed voice as though she was about to share a secret with her, and her face shone with excitement. "I have a better idea!"

"You do?"

"Yes!" Piper nodded eagerly. "Lights are boring! That one's already gone away! Don't you want to do something new? Something exciting? I know the perfect game we could play!"

Cole wondered what Piper was playing at and so continued to watch the interaction between her and Jasmine. He could not believe that the girl thought she could walk through the wall in order to catch the light.

Jasmine clasped her hands together and squealed with glee. "I love games! What game are we going to play? Is the hunk going to play, too?"

Hunk of what? Cole wondered. What could the girl be blathering about now, and what did Piper have up her sleeve?

* * *

"We're still prisoners, Em, but fer a different reason. We're here fer the retrial o' Salem Saberhagen." He watched her face, hoping for some sign of recognition.

A chill went through her at the name. "Why are _we_ being held for _his_ retrial?" she questioned.

"Because it is the retrial o' all o' us." Hope grew in his heart. Did she recognize Salem's name? "Di ye knae who he is?" Sean asked.

Emma shook her head, and her wide eyes told of a fear that she would not have felt had she had her memories. "Do you mean to say that I was . . . I was wicked?"

"Guess ye could call it that, darlin'," Sean replied, trying to resist the urge to grin. "Ye were his second-in-command o' the females. Ye would nae recognize him if ye saw him now. They cursed him an' changed him into a black cat. The first female in command was Mystique, a rather strange woman. Blue skin an' red hair. Very powerful and very, very wicked. I have nae idea where she is now."

Emma stared at Sean as though he had just grown a second head sticking out of the side of his neck. "Well, I suppose that would explain one thing," she spoke more to herself than him.

"An' what might that be, darlin'?" Sean asked. His hopes had plummeted to his boots when she had admitted not knowing Salem.

"It explains why I am dressed in the manner I am, why I appear to be such a . . . such a harlot, I believe is . . . is the word." That word, however, sent chills sweeping through her, and she shivered. "Is it cold to you?"

"Nae really," Sean admitted, "but it sure as Hell was earlier. That awful Ice Demon froze all o' us, killed quite a lot o' us. He probably put a chill in ye that will last a long time. Din't knae what happened tae him or how we actually got here. Ye haven't answered me question. What can I di tae convince ye I am who I am?"

Emma was staring at Sean again. Mutely, she shook her head. Good grief, was this man ever off his rocker!

Remembering the rest of what she had said, he added, "An' ye sure as heck ne'er looked like any harlot tae me! I always thought ye were the most beautiful woman I'd e'er seen, an' I ne'er thought I'd be lucky enough tae be yer husband but I am an' I've been blessed by it."

Emma smiled and cocked her head slightly to one side as she studied Sean in a new light. Yes, he most certainly was bonkers, but there was still something about him that she liked . . .

* * *

Angel's every touch sent shivers of delight racing through Cordelia. She didn't know how she had become so blessed to have him embrace her in her current state, but she was thankful and enjoyed every second of it. Her arms dared to wrap around him as she returned his embrace. She had forgotten that he was barely clothed, and only now did she recall that fact as her lips touched his bare shoulder. She kissed him there and allowed her eyes to close as she relished their moment. Never once did she think that he was staring at anything over her shoulder, let alone the blue-furred Demon Priest.

"We did see Aphrodite," Trina commented, her words falling on deaf ears as far as Angel and Cordelia were concerned. "She helped us to find and help you. If not for Her, we would have gone into the battle without the first clue of who was who for the most part, and God only knows what would have happened then."

"But Trina," Trent protested, "surely you can not -- "

"Trent, you saw Her just as I did." Trina's voice was tightened with enforcement, and her glare warned her brother that he'd better hush now before he embarrassed her and upset her friends.

"But, Trina -- "

Trina's voice fell to a hushed whisper that she hoped Angel could not hear but figured that he did. "We will _not_ have a discussion of religious preference here, Trenton Malloy."

Trent's face fell as Trina used the same voice on him that their mother so often had. "All right," he relented. "But we have to find . . . "

"Carlos. Yes, I know. I'm worried about him too." Immediately, Trina's voice and expression had changed from that of a commanding big sister to show her worry and fear that they might find their other best friend badly hurt or worse.

Trent didn't answer Trina. She looked at him curiously but did not have an opportunity to question him before a familiar voice, a voice her ears had been craving to hear ever since she'd awakened, spoke up from behind her. "I knew you'd be worried about me."

Trina whirled, her blue eyes shooting wide with excited hope, and found herself face to face with Carlos. The hammering of her heart changed from a fearful beat to an excited, happy one that skipped every other beat. She gazed up into his eyes for just a moment before losing her control, throwing her arms around him, and hugging him tightly. "Carlos! Thank God you're all right!" It was all she could do to keep from weeping openly with relief.

Carlos' huge grin lit up his face as he returned Trina's hug. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer still but yet not too close to cause her fear. Trent smiled at the sight and gave the two a moment before he could sense Trina beginning to pull away. That was when he chose to move in and join the hug; his momentum and the placement of his arms caught Trina between them as they hugged. Trent grinned at Carlos. "Man, you're a sight for sore eyes!"

Angel looked at the man that Trina had asked him about. So this was the new guy who had taken Andrew's place? Angel wasn't sure if he'd like him or not, but he smiled reassuringly back at the group even as he hugged Cordelia closer and his eyes flickered back to the Priest only to see him making his way toward Captain Kitty.

* * *

Piper hid her annoyance well. She knew perfectly well what "hunk" meant as it was a word that Phoebe and Paige used, though Gods knew where they had gotten it from, and one of the few ones they'd even managed to get Prue to use. "Sure Cole will play. Won't you, sweetheart?" She smiled pleasantly, though her teeth were grinding behind her lips.

"Don't know if I will or won't, Piper. I don't know many games. Which game is this?"

Didn't he get the clue that she needed him to play along, or was he just wanting to get away from Jasmine as badly as she herself was? "It's easy! Any one can play it!" She looked back to Jasmine only to see that the blonde's face had fallen. Uh-oh! she thought. Here comes the temper tantrum!

"Which game is this, Piper?" Cole asked. He had spoken the truth when he had said that he did not know many games. "I am eager to play," he told her, "but you might have to teach me how."

Jasmine sniffled, and Piper reached out as though to touch her. She refrained from making actual contact, however, just as the blonde wailed. "I _was_ playing a game!"

"You . . . " Piper swallowed hard. "You were?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Jasmine nodded as tears started flowing down her face. "I was, and they ran away from me! I was playing Hide and Seek with them, and I couldn't find them anywhere!"

"Find who anywhere, Jasmine?" Piper asked cautiously. The light? she wondered. Or what she thought was in it?

"Simon, Julian, and Sarah." She sniffled. "They ran away from me!"

"Then perhaps we should go in search of them? Where did you last see them?" Cole questioned.

"I . . . I . . . I . . . " Jasmine's hands shook. Her lips quivered, her bottom one hanging slightly open and trembling even more than the top. Her mouth opened. And then the memories hit her. Tears streamed down her face, and her voice exploded into a screeching wail. "He shouldn't have let go! He shouldn't have let go! He shouldn't have let go!"

Piper caught the other woman before she could fall to her knees and held her reassuringly as she wailed. She didn't need to ask what must have happened. Either Simon or Julian had let go of something along last night's pathway and had fallen to his death.

Cole looked on in concern but, lacking the answers, he just shook his head. He could go and find out what had happened from others, or they could simply have been a figment of Jasmine's imagination and he'd be wasting his time. "They should show up sooner or later," he told her. "They have probably already grown tired of the game." His eyes met Piper's in concern.

Piper's eyes bespoke her true emotions as she held to Jasmine, letting the blonde lean on her and soak her with her tears, and reassuringly patted the woman's hair and back. "No! No! He fell! He fell! He should have just held on! I needed him to hold on, but he didn't!"

"Who?" Piper quietly spoke to Jasmine. "Who fell, Jasmine, and where?"

"Simon! He fell! He fell to the sharks, and they -- they ate him!"

Piper shivered inwardly but remained strong on the outside as she did her best to treat Jasmine as though she were a little sister to her. Her eyes watched Cole.

"What to do?" Cole mouthed to her. "We can't leave her here like this."

"There's not much we can do right now," Piper mouthed in response, "and she needs to get this out of her system."

"Do you want me to find Julian or Simon, if I can, and if I do find them, do you want me to bring them back with me to our section?"

Piper stared at Cole. Had he not just heard what Jasmine had said? "Simon's gone, Cole, but . . . but if you can get a lead on one or both of the children . . . "

"I'll do my best," he told her. He grew quiet for a moment, closing his eyes as he concentrated, and then reopened his sad eyes. "They're not here," he softly told Piper. "I don't sense them here anywhere. That will simply kill Lex and Clark."

Piper nodded, and Jasmine whimpered as she buried her head further into her shoulder. From behind Jasmine's back, Piper reached out a hand to Cole. Cole shimmered them back to where Ororo, Wolverine, and Paige were.

A heaviness weighed on his heart as he knew he'd have to tell Lex and Clark that their children were not there. He dreaded it as he knew how much the boys were attached to the children. He knew they'd take it hard, but at least they still had each other. He'd put it off as long as he could.

* * *

Lorne heard the sad sobs of Crys' babies and opened his arms to them. He hoped they would come to him so that they could give each other comfort. Every time he loved some one, he lost them, but this time, Crys had ran out not only on him but her babies. He knew it was more serious than ever before and that more than likely, they'd never see her again. The pain gripped his heart to the point that he thought it would break. He was glad he was sitting on it lest it should shatter into a million pieces and blow out of his rear.

Even while she had been crying, Cindy had kept a protective look out for her brother and sister. She had known when Angel had left and when that bumbling, fat, old man had come up and crashed onto the floor behind them. Now, she saw Lorne opening his arms. She reached out a paw behind Blue and almost threw her brother into Lorne's arms.

Blue was so lost in his despair that he did not have the first clue what was happening until he suddenly felt himself flying. He collided with something and realized that it was Lorne's shoulder. A whimper caused him to look back just as Cindy shoved Elvira at Lorne.

Lorne's arms slipped around Elvira. Not for one single second did he stop to think that, "Hey, here's a wolf, and she might eat me!" After all, she had taken a bite out of him once before. What he thought was, Here's part of my family. I need them as much as they need me. He buried his face in her fur and held her close even as he felt Blue on his shoulder.

Blue's tail wrapped around Lorne's green neck, and then he collapsed back into tears, his small arms spreading as far as they could get around Lorne's head and Elvira's neck. He vaguely felt another head touch Lorne but did not open his eyes.

Cindy watched Lorne comfort Blue and Elvira, and she remembered the way her mother loved this stupid green Demon of a man. Slowly, she stood up, and even more slowly, she padded toward him. She could barely move for the trembles that raked her tan body, but upon reaching him at last, she refrained from touching him save to place her head on his elbow.

Lorne felt Cindy but did not move in the slightest, because he did not want to frighten her away. "Angel and I . . . We've got a plan," he told them. "We're going after her, and we're going to bring her back. I told her once she'd never get rid of me. I begged her to promise me not to run away, but you know your mother. Stubborn, hard-headed. Sounds like I'm describing Angel and me, too. We've got to get out of here first, and then, come Hell or high water, we're going after her, and may the Goddess help any one who gets in the way!" He cuddled the animals closer, bringing Blue down onto his lap.

* * *

"Out . . . of . . . here?" Faith had finished her exclamation as the light had poured over them. Her words had changed from fiery determination to clear uncertainty. She had looked around, but the light had not appeared to have been trying to harm them.

"Stay on your toes, kid." She had grinned at Dawson as she had spoken to him. She no longer meant the word in the derogatory standard she had used it in before. No, he was still a kid, but he was _her_ kid, her boy, her guy, her man. Then, she had remembered that he was no longer innocent and that she had cost him that innocence. Her eyes had fallen from his, and she had looked away from him.

It had been just at that moment that the light had began pulling away. She had glanced around at it again, realizing that, although it had lifted some individuals up, it had appeared not to have harmed any one and was now going away as quickly and as unexplainably as it had come. Now, she felt Salem attempting to tug his tail free from her hand and tightened her grip on it. "You're not going anywhere, Saberhagen, especially not until you tell me what the heck's going on."

"I . . . I . . . " Salem stuttered. He couldn't tell her for telling her would be asking her, and he couldn't ask her not now, not after all she'd been through, not after she had a brand new lease on life.

Drell had already shouted out at Dumbledore and Xavier, and now the voice that grated Salem's nerves more than any other and made his ears go flat and his fur go stiff boomed out yet again. "WE HAVE WAITED MORE THAN ENOUGH. THE RETRIAL WILL NOW IMMEDIATELY COMMENCE, STARTING WITH SALEM SABERHAGEN."

Salem gulped and shivered. Faith eyed him, his reaction causing her to half-expect for his black fur to turn white on the spot. "Salem, tell me," she commanded him in a whisper. "What the fuck's going on? If ya don't tell me what's going down, how do you expect me to help?"

But that was just it, Salem realized. He didn't expect her to help. He could no more ask Faith for her help now than he could ask his men to stand beside him again after all the horrors they had been forced through when he had failed them the first time. Salem let out a shaky breath, and his tail went limp in Faith's hand. He turned his head toward the Council's high seats and bowed it. His run had come to an end.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

**The Council's Court Room**

Drell's voice echoed through the room like a clap of thunder as he made the announcement he felt that he had already waited too long for. "THE RETRIAL WILL NOW IMMEDIATELY COMMENCE, STARTING WITH SALEM SABERHAGEN." Heads turned to look upwards at their captors, and whispers rang rampant amongst the captives.

Brown eyes turned from looking at their captors to quizzically seek answers in the gaze of the Latina beside her. "Salem Saberhagen," Theodora repeated. "¿Usted le conoce?"

Roxanne was standing again, petting her familiars' coats and keeping a steady eye on their surroundings. She shook her head as she answered Theodora, telling her that she had no idea who this Salem was. "No, nunca lo he satisfecho o he oído hablar." She had to agree with Theodora on the fact that Salem sounded like a male's name, and that thought griped her to no end. She surveyed the room again, wondering who he was. If she could find out, she'd save their captors the trouble of wasting her and her jaguars' time with this retrial of a male, who was just as surely guilty of the crimes he was being held for as she was of the superior, female gender.

* * *

"Salem Saberhagen?" Trent repeated, looking questioningly at Trina. "Is he one of yours, one I haven't met yet?"

She shook her head, her long, blonde hair shimmering down her slender back in waves of spun gold that Carlos' fingers ached to catch hold of. He quickly slid his hands into his pockets as she answered Trent's question. "No. I've never met him." She looked at Angel. "Is he one of yours?"

"Yes, he is," Angel told her. "Poor fellow! He is a cat. He's already been cursed for crimes he committed in the past. I don't know why they are retrying him. I don't think his time's up."

Angel glanced around until he spied Salem. "There he is, in the front." Angel wished he could pat Salem on the head and tell him everything was going to be all right. He hated to see the once-proud, majestic feline looking so dejected and lost, but he knew his hands were tied and there was nothing he could do until he was either called on to give his opinion or hopefully released. Once released, he and Lorne were out of there and after Crys; he itched to be gone.

Cordelia saw the pain in her love's eyes as he looked toward Salem and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She knew Angel was torn, though he didn't speak a word. He wanted to help Salem, but he ached to be off after Crystal. She said a prayer for both Salem and Crystal and that, somehow, everything would work out all right for all of them in the end.

Trina looked upon Salem with compassion, forgetting, until Carlos spoke, that Angel had said that he was originally a man. "They turned a man into a cat?" the Mexican questioned, the doubt in his voice mirroring the same that Trent was feeling.

"Yes, and they punished his men, as well. It wasn't fair. I didn't get involved, but I knew what was going on at the time and I thought Salem would have made a wise leader if he had been given a chance. I am surprised that they did not kill him, although Salem probably wishes that they had. It could not be good to spend life as a cat, not after having been a man."

Angel could not imagine what Salem must have gone through. How weak and powerless he knew he had to feel after having been a mighty Wizard; not being able to use his magick powers would only have been half of it! Not being able to hold his own true love in his arms and love her with the body of a man would have almost killed him! After having known Cordelia only a brief time, he knew that that would have been the part that he couldn't have handled the most. He did not ever want to face the chance of losing her and vowed that she would not follow him and Lorne. They would have to sneak away.

Cordelia answered another question she felt the three newcomers must be wondering about before they could ask. "They did not kill him," she spoke quietly, "because they wanted to curse him with something worse than death."

"But why," Trent questioned, "bring us here when we don't even know him?"

"If we listen, we will find out," Angel told him. "I've never been to one of these trials before."

Carlos wondered just what Angel had seen at the trials he had been to. He often worried for Trina, and now for Trent and himself, knowing full well that they were living on the other side of the law and could, and probably would, be tried and hung if ever caught. Trent did not ponder Angel's words but merely accepted them as knowledge that the other man had no more idea what was about to happen than they did.

Trina nodded and looked around, her keen eyes seeking through the darkness for signs of their crew mates' locations and statuses. She spied Joseph laying on the floor and hoped he wasn't dead. She saw Rogue and Kennedy still in each other's arms, and the sad look on Rogue's face haunted Trina, making her fear that Joseph might well be dead. She prayed he wasn't for she knew that his death would mean the loss of two good friends for Rogue would surely die of grief.

* * *

The commotion spreading through the room caused Kyna to stir in her husband's arms. She let her feelers out first to check on their location, and what she sensed caused her almond eyes to fly open in alarmed concern. "William!"

"Yes, darling?" his husky voice answered her as his blue eyes gazed down lovingly into hers. He was not aware of what was going on around them and had only been holding her and praying quietly that she would awaken and that he wouldn't have to wait for another day to pass.

Gods, how he had missed her, but he'd never tell her! She wouldn't like it. For some reason, she was always wanting him not to be concerned about her welfare, but that was an impossible thing. She was the most important being in his whole world, and he realized he spent a lot more time worrying about her than he ever had for himself. After this, he'd pay more particular attention to both their well-fares as he hoped that she could not live without him any more than he could live without her.

His doubt had been replaced with a joyful song that burst forth from his heart and that his lips wanted to give voice to but dared not. Xena had been right; his Kyna had been restored to him! He held her even tighter, vowing never to let go. He'd sing a song of love to her as soon as they were out of this Hellhole.

It had been a long time since William had been able to hide his emotions from her, and even now, Kyna knew part of the emotions that were coursing through him as well as she knew her own. Deciding to place her concerns about their locations to the side for just a few seconds, she reached up to him, caressed his handsome face, and smiled rereassuringly. "I can tell that Judson succeeded in his intentions. I am sorry, my love; I should have warned you. Are _you_ well?"

"I am now that you have been returned to me, my love. It seems like an eternity since I saw that bastard rip your head off! I couldn't reach you; I tried. And I thought Xena was lying when she said you would return to me. She is very wise. I will have to tell her that."

"I had almost given up, because I saw you die. Why didn't you tell me of this little secret? You'll never know how I felt when I saw you die before my eyes! You are my reason for living, and when you died, I died! Now that you live, my heart sings a song of love to you! I'll sing it later to you in the bedroom." He grinned mischievously down into her face. He couldn't wait to get her to their bedroom and show her just how much he did love her!

Her beloved's smile drew her own lips into a grin, but she could also see the tears that sparkled in his blue eyes, tears she knew he'd never admit to in a millennia. "I am sorry, sweetheart," she told him again. "I should have told you, but I . . . . " She shook her head. "I was a fool, thinking it would never come to that."

"Thank Gods Xena was there to protect you." She placed a finger on his lips before he could protest. "I know you. Had you managed to fight, you would have gone in on a suicide mission and gotten yourself dusted. I owe her a debt that can never be repaid for saving you, a debt that I . . . " She looked away, deep thoughts reflecting in her troubled eyes. "I know how I could repay it if only I were allowed to. That must wait for now, however."

"Without you, Kyna, there is no reason to live," Spike told her gently and then lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the palm of it. His blue eyes never left hers.

His lips had always been able to send delightful chills through her, and her heart skipped the familiar missing beat it always missed when he was near. She smiled back up at him, her eyes gazing lovingly into his. "Without you, my dearest William, I would never want to live. I suppose that is a large part of why I never told you." She sighed. "I do love you, my darling, and you know that just as you also know that I could lay here forever in your arms, if only such were possible. However, I must know . . . Are we where I think we are?"

"We are in Hell," Spike told her. "I think that this is the final portal before they decide where we're going to spend eternity. Those are our Judges. I always thought that there would be one old man with a long beard and long, flowing white hair standing at a pearly gate and pointing when you got there in the direction of either Heaven or Hell. I've never seen anything like this before, and poor Salem is the first to be judged!"

Kyna pressed her lips together to keep from grinning, though it was so hard to when her love seemed so bizarrely innocent. One glance up told her that this place was indeed where she thought it was and not what William dreaded it being. "Dear," she told him, "the time has come, and we must stand. It is not, though, what you . . . " She knew better than to say "fear". " . . . dread."

"I know. The old man's not here, although there are two some ones up there who could fit the description! Maybe there is two of them? One to fetch those of us going to Hell and the other one to take the others to Heaven? I think we may be parted for my soul is very black and yours shines with goodness!"

* * *

Cole had no sooner returned Piper and Jasmine to where Wolverine, Ororo, and Paige were waiting when he felt Ororo's eyes heavily upon him. He looked at her immediately and waited obediently for her to speak.

Ororo knew what was coming. Her first concerns were for her godchildren and Logan, but a second before her mouth could open to command Cole, she thought again of Logan and realized how concerned he would be for his sons and daughter. "Get Prue and Phoebe," she mouthed to Cole. Then, in a softer form, she added, "And, if it would not be too much trouble, the rest of our children?" Her blue eyes displayed her worry.

Cole nodded and immediately shimmered. He went after Prue first. He knew right where he'd seen her earlier and shimmered beside her and Brendan.

Prue watched as Cole appeared. "What?" she asked in a soft whisper.

"Ororo wants both of you with her. Touch my hands; I'll take you to her."

Cole's words surprised Brendan, and he realized immediately that this place must be as dangerous as his senses were screaming at him that it was. He nodded but waited for Prue to take Cole's hand before he took his other one.

The minute that Cole had both hands, he shimmered straight back to Ororo and rematerialized. Prue got the giggles. "It tickled!" she said in amazement and looked at Cole with new eyes. "Do you have fun like that all the time?"

"Not always," Cole told her. "I tried to make it easy on you two, things being what they are."

That reminder made Prue grow serious at once. "Thanks, Cole," she told him and rushed forward to her aunt.

Ororo met Prue with open arms. She had already mouthed her thanks to Cole, but now her blue eyes cast a stern look upon Brendan, who had not yet stood. Brendan reacted by getting to his feet before he even realized he was standing.

Wolverine smiled at his boy. "Good ta see ya, son. Have you seen yer brother?" he asked gruffly.

Brendan knew from the way Wolverine spoke that even he was worried, and his father's own worry added to his. He shook his head, his shaggy hair, that seemed even worse today -- or was it night? -- seeming even shaggier. "No, I haven't," he told him. "I . . . " His eyes cast downwards toward the floor. "I spent the night as the wolf."

Wolverine reached out a hand and gave Brendan's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's all right. Cole will find him. We need to be together. Shi -- " The lightning in Ororo's eyes changed his tune. "Crap's about to hit the fan again."

* * *

Two tall Wizards leaned together, and a whisper passed between them. Lionel Luthor heard the whisper from where he sat beside Drell, and he whispered it to him. "They say that you must tell the others of their chances to stand for them before you begin trying Saberhagen."

"They do, do they?" Drell returned with a quirked brow. "Well, you can just tell them . . . "

"Sir," Lionel warned in a hushed voice, "they are Gandalf and Merlin!"

Drell felt confident that he could have taken on one of the Wizards, but he would not dare to anger both at once. He stamped his booted foot on the floor. "Well, first of all," he whispered to one of the women, "let the special effects begin."

A cold grin spread across the woman's pale face, and the raven perched on her thin shoulder ruffled his black feathers and eyed her warily. If she cackled, he knew he'd best duck. Instead, however, the woman simply murmured a few words in Latin and stamped her staff onto the floor. Immediately, the booth spread out, seeming instead to grow into thirteen dais that sprang forward and a smaller booth that shrank into the far back of the room.

Each Council member now looked more directly down upon those below them from where they sat in chairs that hung suspended in the air behind each dais. Some watched the captives with compassionate eyes, some with well-guarded gazes, but still others sneered down at them. Drell, now dressed in his favorite powder white wig of the moment, rapped his hammer on the center desk where he sat. "SILENCE BELOW," he commanded.

* * *

Cole did not hang around but had nodded at Ororo before shimmering back out. This time, he went in search of Captain Kitty. He knew that speed was of the essence and hoped that she would not give him an argument. He appeared before Kitty, who was holding tightly to the hand of a redheaded girl. He glanced around for 'Heed and, spying him, told him, "Go to Wolverine now." He wasn't about to try to shimmer a dragon!

The words had been out of Cole's mouth as soon as he had finished materializing. Rachel, finding her voice, started to scream, but Kitty's hand quickly clamped over her companion's mouth. "He's a friend," she told Ray, "and a teleporter. 'Heed," she called to Lockheed, "I know you know where Dad's at. Go. We'll be there before you can get there." Keeping one hand over Rachel's mouth, she offered her other hand to Cole. "Cole, this is Rachel Summers. Ray, Cole Turner."

"Nice to meet you, Ray. Now we've got to go." He took Kitty's hand and shimmered them immediately. Landing both of them safely in front of Ororo, he did not reappear but let go of Kitty's hand. He then set off to find Jack and Will.

Kitty eyed Rachel. "Are you cool now?" she questioned, still not letting go of her mouth.

Ray nodded, her green eyes confirming that she had appropriately swallowed her surprise.

Kitty released Rachel's mouth just as Lockheed barreled onto her shoulder. He landed so swiftly that his talons raked a bit of her shoulderpad off, but she was so used to the feeling that she didn't so much as even flinch. Instead, her eyes remained where they had met Wolverine's.

"Good to see ya, daughter. We're about to have ta stand an' fight again, an' I wanted ya by my side. Who's yer friend, an' where's the Priest?"

"Coo coo!" Lockheed exclaimed, his purple wings shifting noisily.

"_That's_ your Father?" Rachel asked, her surprise at the short man clearly sounding in her voice.

"Yes," Kitty answered Rachel, ignoring Lockheed's comment for the time being. "Dad, this is my other best friend, Rachel Summers. Ray and I have known each other since we were kids. Rachel, this is my birth Father, Wolverine."

Rachel's mouth dropped open.

"Summers?" Wolverine questioned. "Any kin to that bigoted fop of a Governor on Deer Isle?"

Rachel grinned and played her embarrassment off coolly. "Just as much as I'm presuming you're _the_ Wolverine?"

"I see that my reputation precedes me," Wolverine said with a grin. "An' what kin might that be?" He had had a brush with the Governor in the past, and he really did not like the little blow-hard. He wanted to like the girl despite her bloodline. After all, she was Kitty's friend.

Kitty's brown eyes darted busily between Wolverine and Rachel as they talked. She remained ready to step in between the two if it came to that but hoped it wouldn't. If it did, however, she knew she'd have quite the debate on her hands for Wolverine's and Ray's fiery personalities would make for one heck of a conflict.

"Don't hold it against me," Rachel told him, keeping Wolverine's gaze steadily, "but I'm his daughter. I'm also the sister to one I believe you've fought beside before. Cable."

"_You're_ Cable's baby sister!" Wolverine exclaimed in amazement. "Pleased to meet ya, kid. Put it here," he said as he offered her his hand in friendship. "You mean to say yer father lets you run around out here?"

"That I am," Rachel replied with a smile as she took Wolverine's hand, "and it's an honor to meet you, Sir. With you as her father, there's no wonder how Kitty ended up the way she has."

Kitty was relieved the two had found common ground but wondered if Rachel meant her words as a compliment or not.

"Kitty's got a lot o' her mother in her, an' it had to come out," Wolverine said with pride as he smiled at his daughter. "Wished things could've been different an' we could've raised her. Hel- !" he declared. "I didn't even know she was alive! Her mother didn't tell me, 'cause she knew I would've went an' got her. That wouldn't've been good fer Kitty, but a kid should be with her parents. Me not knowin' might've been the best thing, 'cause she had a chance fer a decent life, but the Pirate blood had to come out. We're cursed with it," he said with a grin. His hand reached out and gripped Kitty's shoulder in a gentle squeeze.

Rachel had sensed the emotions rising in Kitty as the memories of the previous night with her mother spun through her mind and had been just about to reach out to her when Wolverine beat her to the punch. She knew that the life of a Pirate was hard but also knew that neither Wolverine nor Kitty would have ever traded it for anything and believed that she had led much more of a "cursed" life than Wolverine had any clue of. She bit her tongue, though, keeping her thoughts to herself and being glad that no one in the group seemed to be a telepath.

Her green eyes widened suddenly, and she looked toward a new woman whose beauty took her breath away. The Amazonian beauty had a regal air to her with dark, creamy skin and long, flowing, white hair. It was the silent conversation she was carrying on, however, that had caught her attention initially. She stared at the woman a moment, listening.

Kitty caught her friend's gaze almost immediately and nudged Ray with her shoulder. "That's Ororo," she whispered to her, "Wolverine's woman."

A look of consternation flushed across Wolverine's face as he heard them talking about Ororo. "She's only my woman now 'cause we ain't married yet. We get outta here, that boyfriend o' yers is gonna do the deed. Where is he?" Wolverine glanced around but, as of yet, had not seen Kurt. "Ya two fightin' again?"

Rachel, sensing Kitty's uncomfortable shift, quickly interrupted. "You know Charles Xavier?" Her eyes were still glued to Ororo.

Wolverine's eyes went to Ray. He had glanced at 'Ro and had been concerned about her as she had not made an effort to join the conversation. In fact, she had only been standing there with her arms around Prue, and he figured she must be branching out with her mind, trying to locate her missing child. "What makes ya think I know ol' baldie?"

"Not you," Rachel told him matter-of-factly. "Her."

Ororo blinked, and her blue eyes refocused on the stranger's face. "I do, young lady, and we would appreciate it if you would leave our conversation to us."

Rachel blushed. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Wolverine glanced from an angry 'Ro to a blushing Rachel. "Another telepath? Oh my Gods!" He hit his forehead with his hand before shaking his head. There would be no way to keep any secrets in this family! He glanced at Brendan. Had any one read his mind lately? The way he was gazing intently at Prue, Wolverine would have loved to have read that mind!

Brendan felt his father's eyes upon him, glanced at Logan, and dropped his eyes to the floor. He blushed a deep red even as Rachel's slight blush vanished.

"Yes, I am a telepath, and it's always been a custom of mine to do a light scanning when meeting new people. It helps one to get a better glimpse of strangers." She looked back to Ororo. "I honestly did not mean to intrude, but when I sensed Charles' mind . . . . I had to wonder."

Ororo nodded. "I understand."

"Was this . . . planned?"

'Ro paused before answering Rachel. "He says that it both was and was not and wishes to talk to you as soon as the retrial has finished. He . . . " Compassion shone in Ororo's blue eyes. "He also says that he is sorry for whatever it is that you have gone through."

Rachel knew that Charles must know but had not told Ororo. She appreciated that. "Tell him it's not his fault," she told her, "but my asshole of a father's."

Wolverine's mouth fell open. So the daughter didn't like her father any more than he did! That was a definite plus in her favor! He knew he was going to like this girl! He grinned.

"Hey!" Paige exclaimed. "If she can talk like that and she's the daughter of a Governor, why can't I!"

Piper, who had finally began to get somewhere on calming Jasmine, glared at Paige. "Not now, Paige, and because Grams would turn over in her grave if you did!"

Prue's eyes stole back to look at Brendan. A secret smile was on her face, and she wondered why he was blushing. Had his mind been where hers was? She wished she could just slide over to stand beside him and lay her hand on him. She wondered what he'd do if she dared.

She had been trying to follow the conversation that had been going on around her, but other than the fact that there were now two telepaths, very little else made sense to her. She had never even heard of Deer Island or Scott Summers. She did recognize Charles' name and wondered what was going on with Ororo and him. Were they having telepathic sex? She wished she could do that with Brendan; she knew that would shock the Hell out of him!

Ororo, only partially sensing her eldest goddaughter's doubtful thoughts, gently patted Prue's shoulder. It had taken her a moment to get over her shock at Rachel's language, and it was only Charles' gentle suggestion that she not reprimand the girl that kept Ororo quiet on that account. "I will tell him," she spoke hushedly, eyeing the redhead, who merely nodded in return.

* * *

Kyna patted Spike's shoulder rereassuringly as she stood. She turned slightly to the side while standing and pressed her other hand to her mouth to silence the chuckle that rose in her throat. "Love," she told him reassuringly once she felt it safe to speak again, "those men are not the famous Saint Peter, though they are famous in their own right. Those people, all thirteen of them . . . Well," she amended, realizing that two seats remained empty, "eleven of them are the Witch's Council. The empty seats belong to Dumbledore and Xavier."

"Oh," Spike said, getting to his feet and feeling rather foolish. "I thought we had died in the night. I was so lost in despair that I don't guess I realized the difference. But why would the Witch's Council want all of us? I'm not a Witch." His quick eyes took in others standing around. "And about half of those who are here aren't Witches." He looked at her quizzically.

Kyna smiled and gave his cheek a quick peck of a kiss. "Do not feel foolish, my dear; I thought your concerns rather . . . charming." She couldn't resist a wink at him and knew his neck was burning. "As for the Council, they govern much more than Witches. All of us who partake in any part of the Supernatural are under their rule."

"How come I've never come across them before?" Spike asked her, feeling the flames rushing up his neck. He hoped Kyna would not relay this story later.

Kyna adverted her eyes, giving her love a chance to cool his embarrassment when she wasn't looking. "Believe it or not, you've been lucky."

"Still, why would they want every one else?"

"Most likely, we were all with Salem and his people when they were brought here. Albus warned me this time was coming, and I hope the plan works," she whispered.

"Plan?" Spike repeated.

"I'll explain later," Kyna whispered in a tone so low that only Vampiric hearing could pick up her words. "Not here."

Spike took her hand and squeezed it gently. He moved to stand behind her so that she could lean back against him and pressed his mouth close to her ear. "Okay," he whispered just enough that it tickled her ear.

His touch ignited her blood, and his closeness brought a low moan rising in her throat. Keep your mind on the business at hand, Chan, she barked at herself. This is neither the time nor the place. Reaching a hand behind her, she let her fingernails graze the side of his black, denim pants. "As much as I'd like to, mon amour, this is neither the place nor the time."

"I know," he whispered, and his voice caressed her ear again. "And watch those fingernails."

A laugh bubbled from her before she could stop it. "You certainly are quite the devil!" she scolded lovingly.

"And you, my love, are an Angel!" He gave her a gentle squeeze but stopped playing the seductive Vamp.

* * *

Cole shimmered beside a hugging trio and cleared his throat. His sudden appearance brought a yelp of surprise from Will that Cole had already learned to dismiss. "Your father wants you to be with him. He says we are about to go to battle again."

"Only he would try to fight a war without a weapon!" Jack murmured even as he released Eddie and Will. "Well, take us to him."

"I'm not taking that -- animal!" Cole finished. "I've never carried one quite so large."

"Can you find your way, Eddie, to where Wolverine is?"

Eddie's long face grew sad. "If you take them, I'll be all by myself, and it's a long, long way to Wolverine! Isn't it?"

"Not really," Cole reassured him. "If you follow the wall about half way down and turn right, walk fast, and you'll walk right into him."

"Are you sure?" Eddie cast an eyeball on Cole, not realizing that Will was also giving him quite a similar Look.

"Yes, I am, and if I wasn't afraid of hurting you, I'd try to shimmer you. Maybe we can try it later when we're not under dire stress so we'll both know if it can be done?"

"You would do that for me?" Eddie asked Cole.

"Sure. You're one of the family," he reassured him with a smile. "Now hurry, Eddie! You want to be with the family when the crap breaks lose!"

Cole reached out for Jack's hand and then offered Will his other hand even as Eddie broke out into a run.

"Be careful!" Will called after Donkey. He might be an animal, but his love for him grew each day and he didn't want anything happening to Eddie. "If you need us, bray, and we'll come!"

Eddie was almost out of earshot, but he heard Will and called back over his shoulder, "I will! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" He continued to run, one eye watching the wall and trying to mark half way, his ears straining to hear Will.

Will nodded, silencing the doubting sigh that rose in his throat, and took Cole's hand.

Cole shimmered them to Wolverine.

As soon as Jack materialized, he saw Brendan and went straight for his brother. He was glad he had returned to man form and couldn't wait to give him a hug. Again, Cole did not rematerialize but set off after Phoebe.

Will watched Jack run toward Brendan and eyed his love's brother with serious doubt. He wished that he hadn't lost the silver sword and then recalled Prue knocking the heck out of him and glanced in her direction.

Prue's eyes met Will's. "I couldn't let you hurt him," she mouthed. "He has no clue what his wolf did, and the wolf did not mean harm." She moved over closer to Will, so that he could hear her words clearly. "Brendan is a very dear, sweet man, and he loves his family dearly but most especially his brother. If he had even a clue of what had happened, it would kill him. He lives in fear of the wolf. You can't tell him, Will! Promise me you won't!"

Will shifted uncomfortably. He had tried to step away from Prue, but she had only stepped closer each time he had stepped away. He still would not meet her gaze but glanced in Jack's direction just as his beloved threw his arms around Brendan and hugged him close. He sighed. If he were to tell Brendan, word would find its way back to Jack, and Jack would probably hate him even though it was his protection and safety he was trying to assure. "I won't." He stepped away . . . and was rewarded with Paige screeching in his ear.

Prue smiled thankfully at Will and then turned to see what was wrong with Paige. "Don't scream in his ear! You'll deafen him! What's wrong!" she demanded of Paige, who was frantically waving her arms and jumping up and down.

Paige's attention on the conversation had been lost shortly after Piper had admonished her as she'd seen Jasmine crying again and once more wondered about Carl and feared for his safety. She'd been looking for him ever since and had just now succeeded in spotting a blur moving swiftly across the floor. She knew that blur had to be her man and now again screeched his name. "CARL! CARL! OVER HERE, CARL!"

Will winced at the screaming girl and half-stepped, half-stumbled backwards. His finger wrung in his ear as he tried to get his hearing back. Women!

Prue shook her head. Sisters could be such dolts! "Sorry," she told Will, "but thank you. If you ever need some one to talk to about him," she knew Will would know she was talking about Jack, "I'm willing to listen. I won't tell anybody, and I am a good listener."

Will smiled in what he hoped Prue would take to be thanks but didn't mention any chance of his taking her up on the offer he realized that she did mean. She seemed to be a good woman, but she was as blinded to the wolf as his dear Jack was. It would be up to him to find a way to save Jack from Brendan, and no one here would help him. He knew that, but he also knew he had to find an answer before the wolf really did kill Jack. He glanced over at Jack and saw that Brendan was hugging Jack tightly in return.

* * *

Joxer moaned. He couldn't remember a time he had ever hurt so much! He had already been through Hell all night long, and then a rolling tub of lard had hit him! He had not even seen what it looked like, but he had damn sure felt it! He hurt in every inch of his body! The tub had thrown him up into the air, and when he had come down, he swore, the impact had broken every bone in his body! He lay there with his eyes tightly closed and moaned again.

Phoebe's eyes were open, but she lay motionless on the floor. She felt like a balloon that some one had let all the air out of and didn't think she could have stood if her life had depended on it. "What _was_ that thing?" she weakly questioned the air.

"From what I saw," a voice came from above, "it was one little, fat man. Are you two going to make it?" Xena asked.

"No," Phoebe moaned.

"Xena!" Joxer breathed. "My bones are all broke! Where's Gabrielle?"

"I'm here, Joxer," Gabby reassured him as she knelt beside him. Her hands started expertly checking him over. "You look like Hades," she told him, "but I haven't found anything broken . . . " Her words suddenly trailed off.

"Are you sure?" Joxer asked. "I've never felt this bad, not even after that battle with the Christians!" Why had he thought of that suddenly? What Christians? Somehow, he knew he didn't mean the ones that had killed Phoebe's grandmother and mother, but he couldn't quite place what he did mean. He just knew that somewhere, in his past, there had been one Hell of a battle that they'd all been involved in and had been lucky to get out of. He reached but couldn't get a grasp on it.

"That was a Hell of a thing . . . " Gabrielle paused as her words hit her. An odd look settled over the bard's face. What battle was that? She tried to shrug it off, but the uneasy feeling would not leave her alone even as her hands lingered on the arm Joxer must have landed on and she looked pointedly up at Xena.

Xena knew she had to fix Joxer's arm. It wasn't exactly broken, but it was out of place. "Keep talking to him," she mouthed to Gabby even as she took hold of his arm and began to work on him.

"That was almost as bad as last night . . . " Gabby mused as though she were still thinking about what Joxer had said. "But what was it over? Do you remember?"

"No, and I don't know when it was. It feels like it was . . . not too long ago. Did we dream it?" His mouth opened in a scream even as he felt Xena yank his arm into place.

Gabrielle had been waiting for Xena to move into position, and just as she had began the final shove on Joxer's dislocated bone, Gabby had torn off a piece of Joxer's shirt. When Joxer's mouth opened in a scream, she stuffed the piece of thickly-folded cloth into his mouth before the scream could begin. She knew that they did not need the attention of the Council upon them and held the cloth in place even as she felt for her second oldest friend.

"Sorry about that, Joxer," Xena apologized for the pain, "but it had to be done."

Autolycus had watched in silence, wondering what they were carrying on about, but then saw Xena yank Joxer's arm bone back into place. He looked away rather quickly, remembering a time when she had done the same to him. He winced even as he looked into Elizabeth's eyes. "Hurts like Hell," he told her, "but it'll be better in a while. Xena's an expert at what she does."

Elizabeth grimaced. Unlike Autolycus, she had not looked away in time, and now nausea rolled in her stomach at the sight. She pressed a hand to her stomach and looked away, her eyes haunted. Her only verbal response to Autolycus' words came out in a shudder.

"Joxxy?" Phoebe questioned. "Joxxy, what's going on? Are you . . . " She sat up to check on him, and her whole world spun. " . . . oookay?"

"Better check this one out, too," Xena told Gabrielle. "I can't believe that he hit them so hard that the floor shook!"

"It's too bad he can't turn that energy into battle," Gabrielle commented, trying to make light of the situation as she stepped over Joxer and knelt beside Phoebe. She started to look the girl over, but the younger woman pulled away from her.

"I'm fine," Phoebe told Gabrielle, eyeing the bard warily. "Really. If I need healing, I'll just wait for a healer." She still wasn't sure what in the heck they'd done to Joxer, but she knew it had been something horrible and felt sorry for her poor Joxxy.

"She is a healer," Xena told her, "and Joxer will be okay in a little bit. His arm bone was out of place." She looked down at the young woman. "He can't answer you. He's a little out of it."

Phoebe warily eyed both women now. "What did you do to him?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"I put his arm bone back in the socket. It's not a pleasant experience, but it had to be done."

"Like I said, I'll . . . " Phoebe's words trailed off for a moment as she saw something materializing in the air behind Xena. "I'llwait," the words came out in a rush as she watched the familiar man appearing. "_Cole!_" She sprang into sudden life as she rushed to his side, thinking she'd never been happier to see him.

"Hello, everyone," Cole greeted the group. "Wolverine's trying to get all of us together. He says there's going to be more battle, and he'd like for us to be together. I'll go and come back, get all of us there."

Xena shook her head. "Been there, done that one too many times, Shimmer Boy. We'll be there in a few. Just point us in the right direction, but take these two with you." Xena indicated Joxer and Phoebe, who had clasped on to Cole's forearm.

"Dead ahead and to your right," Cole told them, "and hurry. No telling how long it'll be before they attack." He shimmered, carrying Phoebe and Joxer with him.

* * *

Cole had acted swiftly as he had gathered Ororo and Wolverine's children to them, but his actions, though only spanning a very few minutes, had not gone unnoticed. "Boy, that -- " The parrot who had just began to talk was silenced suddenly as the thin man whose shoulder he was perched upon clasped his beak shut with two fingers.

His squawk had not gone unnoticed, however, and the man eyed the young woman who turned and looked up at them. He moved his mouth just slightly as he commanded the loud-mouthed bird, "Be _quiet_, Iago! I do not know what the child is doing here, but we can not afford to be spotted by her! Besides," he added, "I don't want to hear your mouth!"

With that warning, the man released his familiar's beak. Iago rubbed his aching beak with his multi-colored feathers and then began to mouth, "Iago, I have a headache! Iago, be quiet! Iago -- "

The Wizard never looked at his bird. He simply tapped his staff on the floor, and the cobra's eyes glowed once. The bird instantly froze on his shoulder. His beak was still open, but no sound came out. "I told you," the man hissed quietly, "to _shut up_!"

On the floor below, a pair of hazel eyes stared at the two. Cordelia had heard the bird's familiar voice and looked immediately in their direction, and still she could not believe that she was looking at them nor could she fathom what in the world Agrabah's Royal Advisor was doing on the infamous Witch's Council. When she saw the cobra's glowing eyes seemingly turn the bird to stone, she gasped and instantly looked away.

"I SAID _SILENCE_!" Drell commanded. "OR DO I NEED TO HAVE YOUR TONGUES FROZEN! I CAN DO THAT, YOU KNOW! NOW ON WITH THE BUSINESS AT HAND!"

"Why are we here?" All eyes turned to the two Latina women standing beside a pair of female jaguars. "We don't even know this Salem, so what do you want with us?"

"THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO GET TO, AND IF ANY ONE SPEAKS OUT OF TURN AGAIN, YOUR TONGUE _WILL BE FROZEN_!" Drell bellowed.

All eyes turned immediately back to stare at Drell, making him the center of attention, a place he dearly loved to be. "NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT! YOU HAVE BEEN BROUGHT HERE TODAY FOR THE RETRIAL OF SALEM SABERHAGEN AND HIS MEN. MOST OF YOU KNOW HIM, ALTHOUGH SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF HIS CRIMES OR EVEN HIS TRUE SPECIES. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED, HOWEVER, AND WITH THE TIMES, SEVERAL OF SABERHAGEN'S PEOPLE. OR, AT LEAST, THAT IS THE CLAIM THAT HAS LED TO THIS RETRIAL."

"REGARDLESS," he continued, "HE WOULD STILL STAND ON TRIAL TODAY, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OF HIS MEN, WHO HAVE ALL ESCAPED FROM THEIR GUARDS AND THEIR PUNISHMENTS. WE WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO HELP SABERHAGEN AND HIS MEN, IF YOU CHOOSE. EACH OF THOSE WHOSE SENTENCES ARE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR LIGHTNENING MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE ENTITY WHO IS WILLING TO STAND BESIDE THEM."

"THIS BEING WILL HAVE TO PASS SEVERAL TESTS ALONG WITH WHICHEVER CRIMINAL THEY STAND FOR. AT THE END OF THESE TESTS, A FINAL DECISION WILL BE MADE AS TO WHAT EXACTLY TO DO WITH THE CRIMINAL, AND WHATEVER PUNISHMENT IS DEEMED UPON THE CRIMINAL WILL ALSO BEFALL THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN FOOLISH -- " The clearing of several throats caused Drell to falter and rephrase himself just a tad bit. " -- THE ONE WHO HAS STOOD BESIDE HIM OR HER."

"THE PERSON WHO STANDS MUST NOT BE A BLOOD RELATIVE TO THE CRIMINAL THEY STAND FOR, MUST NOT BE HIS OR HER LOVER, AND MUST BE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL. THEY WILL STAND ON TRIAL EACH TIME THAT THE CRIMINAL STANDS ON TRIAL, WILL ENDURE THE SAME TESTS, AND WILL ALSO SHARE EQUALLY IN THE PUNISHMENT, OR PUNISHMENTS, THAT BEFALL THE CRIMINAL."

"NOW, AS I SAID, WE WILL BEGIN WITH SALEM SABERHAGEN. I CALL UPON SEVERUS SNAPE TO READ THE LIST OF CHARGES."

A loud voice interrupted before Snape could begin reading, "Your Honor, one question."

"SPEAK," Drell barked, looking down his nose at the long-haired Pirate, "BUT BE QUICK ABOUT IT."

"What if the criminal passes the tests?" Jack bravely spoke up. "Will they be freed?" He smiled at Drell, flashing his gold tooth from the dark shadows that he was so at home in.

Ororo smiled at her son's question. She was proud to see that he was not letting the Council know that his nerves were rattled and even prouder that he was already thinking optimistically.

"GIVEN," Drell responded, "THAT THEY PASS _ALL_ TESTS AND THAT THERE IS SOME ONE WHO STANDS FOR THEM WHO ALSO PASSES ALL TESTS _AND_ IS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL, THEN YES, THEY WILL BE FREED -- BUT THAT IS _A LOT_ OF IFS."

"Do we have your word on that, Your Honor?" Jack clasped his hands together in a pleading manner, his dark eyes imploring that the Judge uphold the truth of what he was saying. He had been lied to too many times in the past.

Will wondered just what in the heck Jack was daring to play at even as Drell snapped, "THAT IS TWO QUESTIONS, CAPTAIN SPARROW, BUT YES. WE ARE A COUNCIL OF OUR WORD. HOWEVER, AGAIN, THEY MUST PASS ALL TESTS, MUST GAIN THE FULL APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL, AND MUST HAVE SOME ONE TO STAND FOR THEM WHO DOES THE SAME."

"One more question, Your Honor!" Jack nodded his head in respect, and the clinking of his beads echoed in the court room.

"WELL?" Drell ground out angrily. "WHAT IS IT?"

"Can it be written down, witnessed, and us be given our own copy?"

"JAFAR," Drell indicated the Wizard with the frozen parrot and cobra-headed, golden staff, "IS TAKING THE MINUTES OF THE DAY. HE WILL COPY DOWN ALL THAT TRANSPIRES HERE TODAY, AND YES, YOUR PEOPLE MAY HAVE A COPY."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Jack said and backed up so quickly that he bumped into Will. His breathing was hard and labored as though he had been running hard. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and looked up into his mother's approving gaze.

Ororo was not the only one who was smiling due to Jack's actions. Standing in their various locations across the room, Kyna, Charles, and Albus also smiled slyly. Wolverine, behind Jack, had his own smugly proud smile; he had done a good job in raising his boy!

"NOW, IF THAT IS TO BE THE _FINAL INTERRUPTION_," Drell glowered down at the mix of beings below them, "WE WILL RESUME. SNAPE, IF YOU PLEASE."

Severus had finished shuffling his papers and was ready. "SALEM SABERHAGEN," his deep voice boomed out over the crowd, "YOU ARE CHARGED WITH SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ARSON, BURGLARY, COERCION, CONCEALMENT, FRAUD, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DRUG TRAFFICKING, EMBEZZLEMENT, EXTORTION, FORGERY, GRAFFITI, KLEPTOMANIA, BREAKING AND ENTERING, GRAND LARCENY, PERJURY, PORNOGRAPHY, PROPERTY CRIME, PSYCHOACTIVITY, PUBLIC INTOXICATION, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, RESTITUTION, REVICTIMIZATION, ROBBERY, SEXUAL INNUENDO, SHOPLIFTING, ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING, ESPIONAGE, POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SELL, TAX EVASION, ARMED ASSAULT, THEFT, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, RESISTING ARREST MULTIPLE TIMES . . . "

The list seemed to drone on forever, and Dawson lost track of what all Salem had done. He was amazed at the immense amount of crimes contributed to one, little black cat. Why, if the list had been printed, it would have weighted Salem down to the point he would have suffocated! How could he have done all of those things! He looked at Faith. Maybe Salem had been telling the truth? He had been a man at one time, and he knew, before Snape even finished, that Faith had every intention of standing by Salem. He had to beat her to the punch. He only waited now for the man's mouth to quiet and the direction to be given to step forward.

Salem's head hung low as he felt all eyes upon him and Severus Snape read his rap sheet as though it were a death sentence. He felt as though it was, but yet, as memories of all his grand deeds played through his mind and he recalled the reasons why he had done what he had done, his tail twitched and his feline lips turned up into a sly, proud grin.

Trent and Trina Malloy were among the number who could not believe their ears. Their blue eyes stared at the cat, and then Trina heard Trent whispering in a hushed voice, "I always knew it was a bad idea to hang around with Pirates!"

"I never told you you had to!" Trina shot back at her twin.

"You didn't leave us much choice!" Trent responded. "It's not like you were willing to come home!"

"Be quiet, Virgin Boy!" Trina shot back, knowing the embarrassment of her words, that were loud enough for Angel and Cordelia to hear, would successfully hush her brother up. She was not about to tell Trent that Salem's rap sheet was only a little worse than some of the badder Pirates she considered amongst her friends.

Rachel listened as the list was read and watched Salem. She had heard many stories of the great, defeated Salem Saberhagen, but it was one thing to hear that he had tried to take over the world and another thing to hear his actual list of crimes being read. The one that stayed repeating over and over again in her head was psychoactivity. That was one of the greatest crimes a telepath could commit, but she knew enough about Salem to know that he was not a telepath. He must have used his magick to control those people, but Ray also knew why he had done the things he had done and did not even hold that great crime against him. She knew her father would have wanted him hung, though, and her green eyes flitted around the room as she wondered just how many of these other people would agree with her father.

Faith was still weaker than she would allow herself to admit to being and was trying hard to get to her feet. She had managed to push herself up to her knees but had not gotten up the rest of the way yet when she felt some one at her elbow. She knew it wasn't Dawson even before she looked up for he was foolishly thinking of standing for Salem himself. She shook her head. The boy had no idea what he was considering getting himself into, but she knew exactly what she was doing. Looking up, Faith was surprised to see Katrina, who she had thought had headed off after Tom.

In answer to her unasked question, Katrina told her, I found Tom. In fact, he's on your other side. We're family, and we're here to help you take a stand. We are here to help you to help Salem. So saying, she reached under Faith's elbow and looked at Tom to be sure he was ready.

Tom was ecstatic to be with Katrina again and had been so glad to see her beautiful face gazing into his face when the light had vanished that the sight had brought literal tears to his eyes. He hadn't left her side since and was more than ready to do whatever she wanted of him, not that he wouldn't have helped Salem, and Faith, any way.

With Katrina on one side and Tom on her other side, Faith stood between the two catpeople. Her chin held high, she called out the very second Snape finished. "I STAND FOR SALEM SABERHAGEN! I'LL TAKE ANY DAMN THING YOU THROW AT HIM!"

"AS WILL I!" Dawson called out.

"AS WILL I!" Katrina told the Council.

"AND I!" Tom added, his orange tail cutting through the air like a blade.

From across the room, Celina called from the safe haven of her husband's arms. "AND I!"

"ME TOO!" Morph cried out from behind his wife.

"AND I!" Vang roared.

A chorus of other voices chimed in, bringing tears to Salem's eyes and causing Drell's, and several other Council members', jaws to drop open.

From his place on the floor, Lex Luthor smiled. His father certainly had not been counting on this!

**To Be Continued . . . **


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

**The Council's Court Room**

"¿Qué está sucediendo?" Theodora whispered to her new companion. She did not know much about Roxanne, but she was glad for her companionship in this bizarre place. She would have been lost without her, but Roxanne had been continually translating the going-ons since the trial had begun. She still marvelled at the thought that the black cat had once been a man, and not a Werecat either, evidently, for his membership in the cat species had been a curse. Her nervous, brown eyes danced between their captors and the other captives, and she stepped unconsciously closer to Roxanne as she awaited her response. "¿Qué están diciendo?"

"Nada -- todavía," Roxanne answered Theodora, her eyes never leaving the others. "Se sorprenden, atontado más allá de discurso en el momento. Hablarán pronto, y no pienso que serán felices con esta vuelta de acontecimientos." Her gaze darted over all of the beings who had spoken up for Salem. There were the Lewis sisters and their husbands, who she was glad to see had survived the night; Faith, who Roxanne had thought she'd never see again and whose return still surprised her; other catpeople; and still others, some of which she recognized and others whose identity she had no clue of.

"¿Usted dicho cada uno de ésos estaba parado para él?" Theodora questioned, her amazement and surprise clear in her face and voice.

"Si," Roxanne answered with a nod, still not looking back at the other Latina.

"¿Por qué¿Por qué harían algo como eso, pusieron sus vidas en la línea para alguna quién intentó asumir el control el mundo, que realizó tales actos del mal?"

Theodora's question as to why the others had all stood for Salem mirrored Roxanne's own wondering thoughts. She shook her head and glanced at the beautiful woman out of the corner of her dark eyes. "No sé," she admitted that she did not know but kept her other thoughts to herself. She would not tell Theodora that she had began to wonder if Salem perhaps had had a good reason for doing what he had for how could any one set out to take over the world for a _good_ reason? It seemed impossible, especially coming from a male, but why else would so many stand for him? They couldn't have been in it with him for they, too, would have been on trial had that been the case. "No sé," she repeated again, her voice dropping to an even lower murmur. Sasha butted her hand, and Roxanne stroked her head and continued to watch the others. She knew more danger would come, and when it did, she would protect her babies and Theodora -- or die fighting.

* * *

At last, Drell found his voice. "ONLY ONE BEING MAY STAND FOR EACH CRIMINAL. YOU SPOKE FIRST, GIRL, SO YOU WILL BE GIVEN THIS CHANCE. IT IS THE ONLY CHANCE. NO OTHERS NEED SPEAK ON THIS MATTER FOR THEY WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. COUNCIL, WHAT THINKEST THOU?"

Whispers ran amongst the Council. Heads bowed together in thought. Some nodded; others shook negatively. Hands stroked beards, and Faith felt as if all the eyes in the world were upon her and Salem -- Salem, she realized, whose shoulders were still shaking. Stepping forward, out of Tom and Katrina's embraces, Faith knelt and picked up Salem. She stroked his ebony fur, and when he looked at her at last, she was surprised to find tears in his eyes. She smiled at him sadly, but a member of the Council spoke before she could whisper anything to him.

"I LIKE THE GIRL. I ALWAYS HAVE," the mighty voice of a majestic lion boomed out over the court room.

"You would." The man with the frozen parrot on his shoulder sneered at the lion.

"I must admit that I like the girl, too," a low, cold voice spoke. This new voice came from a man dressed all in black. His pale skin and haunting eyes immediately told Faith that he was a Vampire. His gaze seemed to look straight through her. "She's quite the killer."

"Perhaps," the lion returned, "but not when it comes to animals. She has fought for and saved many of my people before."

"Maybe, but she's got to be a weakling," one of the women said. "After all, she could barely stand on her own two feet at first!"

That was when Faith interrupted. "I'm not weak!" she barked out.

The horned woman scowled at her, but another woman spoke in her defense. This lady had red hair and wore a luxurious gown that appeared so fancy that one would have thought to see it in a ballroom but never in a courtroom. "The girl speaks the truth, Maleficent. She is anything but weak. True strength comes not from muscle or from held-back emotions but rather from putting one's own safety aside to stand for others. She has shown that splendidly this past night."

Those words sent a ripple of talking amongst the captives. How did the woman know what had happened to them that night? Whispers rose to a buzz of talking. Normal volumes quickly grew louder until they exploded into yells. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN!" a blonde shouted to be heard above the roar of the crowd.

Will turned to look and find out who the loud-mouthed blonde was and spotted Gabrielle coming up to their group just a split second before he heard skidding hooves. He turned again and saw Donkey sliding straight for Jack and himself. His arms shot around Jack, and he spun them out of the way just in the nick of time.

Ororo, too, saw Donkey and recognized his inability to stop. Her winds quickly put an end to that, however, as she brought his bulky body to a stop. Will was beside Eddie in a moment, patting his head and murmuring soothing words to him.

Jack was gasping for breath after having been stunned by Will's sudden dance. He, too, had heard the skudding hooves, but they had come to a sudden stop. His eyes turned to look from whence the sound had come and saw that his mom had the situation well in hand. He smiled.

Wolverine had been about to jump for Eddie and stop him from crashing into the group when 'Ro had taken a hand in the matter. He grinned lop-sidedly at her. That's my 'Ro! he thought.

Eddie had been terrified that he was going to crash into his beloved Will! He had tried in vain to stop, but he had not been able to! He was oh-so-thankful, though, when he felt the winds balancing him. He looked at the woman controlling the winds. "Thanks," he whispered even as his skin trembled where Will touched him. There was nothing like his boy's hand!

"SI!" Roxanne, who, up until that point, had been rapidly translating for Theodora shouted out. She started to question the woman but was interrupted by another.

"JUST WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF TONIGHT!" Piper Halliwell demanded, bringing surprised glances her way. Her face was hot with anger, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Could the Council have been behind all that had happened to them this past night! Were they responsible for what she and her entire family had gone through!

Trina Malloy took several strides forward, placing Trent and Carlos well behind her before yelling up, "WERE YOU BEHIND IT!"

"SILENCE," Drell thundered.

"Drell," the woman calmly told him, "they have every right to ask. No, we were not behind it, but we did watch what was happening. It is true that some of us enjoyed watching your pain and suffering, but others amongst us wanted desperately to help but could not."

At this point, as the angry murmuring began yet again to buzz loudly, Kyna stepped out of Spike's arms and called out to their people. "STAND DOWN. WHAT SHE SAYS IS MOST LIKELY TRUE! THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE KNOWN BUT COULD NOT HAVE INTERVENED."

Eyes shot toward her. Voices paused. Murmurings whispered through the crowd. Kyna heard it all but remained silent and instead turned to look at Captains Sparrow and Xena with imploring eyes.

Jack had heard all of his people and their murmurings and shouts. He did not know why the night before had happened or who had caused it, but he did know that these people had had nothing to do with it or Kyna Chan would not have said what she had said. His quick, dark eyes kept glancing around at his people, and he thought a moment before he said anything. His eyes finally came to rest on Xena, who was intently paying attention but had not said anything.

"These people are innocent, as Kyna says, of what occurred, but they are not innocent in their intent as to what they want to do with us. Be on your toes!" His voice was not loud and carried only to the people who were closest to him. Their whispers, however, passed it to the others in a quick succession that seemed to calm the floor.

Xena was quick to nod in agreement with Jack. "They know everything, but they do not get involved in all things. They are voyeurs but seldom instigate things."

"TRUE, TRUE," Drell quickly agreed. "WE SEE ALL THINGS BUT ONLY TAKE A HAND IF IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE SURVIVAL OF OUR WORLD."

"Last night," one of the Wizards with long, white beards spoke, "though horrible, did not reach the point to require our intervention. There is, however, another problem with this girl, Drell. How are these people to stand beside their criminals for the duration of their sentences if they are mortal, as Faith is?"

"A GOOD QUERY INDEED, MERLIN."

"It is simply solved, Your Highness," Kyna spoke up. She was not going to let the chance to help Salem and his men simply slip by due to a mere issue of immortality versus mortality. "Either make the one charged with the crime mortal or turn the one standing for him or her Immortal. The Council has the power to do such."

"AH, YES, BUT WHICH ONE?" Drell mused aloud.

Faith's nerves were set on end by this latest turn of the debate. She had not considered the issue of Immortality, but she certainly did not want to become Immortal. She wanted to stay mortal but realized, too, that a mortal cat would never have a chance of surviving a Pirate's life. Salem was hundreds of years old, and it was not her place to strip him of his Immortality. "I would love to be mortal," Salem purred, but his claws kneaded Faith's bare hands with urgency. "It would finally grant me a chance to rest these old bones."

"VERY WELL. THOSE WHO STAND FOR THE CRIMINALS MUST ALSO ACCEPT IMMORTALITY. ALL THOSE WHO AGREE, SAY AYE."

Dawson could not believe what he was hearing! Faith was about to become an Immortal! She'd live forever, and he'd only be a memory! He wanted to rail that it was not fair for him to die and her to live on without him, but he knew that she had to do this for Salem and if he had been the one chosen to stand, it would be him becoming Immortal and Faith dying without him. Life was strange. He was learning to accept that. He looked at Faith. "You've gotta do it," he told her. "You've got to help him. I'll be there as long as I can for both of you."

Faith dared not look at Dawson for the tears she could feel welling up inside. This was yet another unfair turn of her life! She didn't want to be Immortal! She'd never once wished for eternal life! Hell, she questioned herself silently, how many times had she tried to take her own life! As if her own wants were not enough, the mere thought of outliving Dawson, and therefore losing him, was enough to make her knees shake. She felt Katrina holding her up, but the pressure seemed to come from far away.

Tom quickly glanced around. He licked his lips and twitched his tail, both nervous actions, and then he spoke. "Perhaps, in your infinite wisdom, Your Highness, you might consider to also make the beloveds of the ones becoming Immortal also Immortal?"

"NONSENSE," Drell barked. "THERE IS NO NEED FOR SUCH. THOSE WHO AGREE, SAY AYE." Again, the "aye"s outweighed the "nay"s, and Tom sighed.

Katrina shot Drell a Look but did not dare to speak as she did not want to bring his wrath down upon them. This was a decision that was not fair in the slightest! She knew that, if she was in Faith's shoes, she would not be able to make the choice if it meant losing Tom. She tried to get her nerve up to speak, but another voice beat her to the punch. She looked at the dark-eyed Captain.

"Your Honor!" Jack quipped his name once again. "You're wrong on that, Sir!" He shook inside as Drell fixed him with a Look.

"IT IS THE COUNCIL'S AGREED DECISION, PIRATE, AND THE COUNCIL IS NEVER WRONG."

"Mmmmaybe," Jack brought his two index fingers together and touched his chin in a thoughtful manner, "this once, you might reconsider your decision? Have none of you ever been in love and lost that loved one?"

"THE COUNCIL'S DECISIONS ARE FINAL, AND THE CONSIDERATION OF LOSING A LOVE IS A MUTE POINT. NOT ONLY IS TRUE LOVE A MYTH . . . " He was broken off by several heated exclamations from his own people. "STILL, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS NOR SHOULD IT AFFECT THE DECISION. AFTER ALL, DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONE WILL GO TOGETHER? ARE YOU THAT MUCH OF A FOOL TO THINK THAT TWO IN LOVE ALWAYS DIE TOGETHER?"

"No, Sir, Your Honor, but I do think that there is such a thing as true love and that a lifetime of many hundreds of years alone is not a good thing. True, in some cases, you might fall in love again, but it will never be the same. Two are much stronger than one." He bowed to him and backed up, his beads jangling. "They are better able to take care of the one in trouble and keep him out of trouble." He smiled at Drell.

Again, high-pitched voices rang all around Drell until he rapped his gavel loudly on his desk. "SILENCE! IF YOU WISH ANOTHER VOTE THAT BADLY, IT CAN BE DONE! THOSE WHO WANT ONLY THE ONE TO BE IMMORTAL, SAY 'AYE'. THOSE WHO SEEK TO MAKE BOTH IMMORTAL, A TRULY POINTLESS AND NEEDLESS FEAT, SAY 'NAY'." Yet, again, the "aye"s outweighed the "nay"s.

"IT IS SETTLED," Drell announced. "IMMORTALITY IS ANOTHER THING THAT THOSE STANDING FOR THE ONE ON TRIAL MUST ACCEPT. NOW -- " He paused and leaned over to Lionel. "What's her name again?" he whispered.

"Faith," Lionel returned, his voice also a low whisper. He stroked his beard and grinned in glee. He was certain Lex wouldn't like this recent turn of events! Where was his stupid boy, any way? He had yet to see him in the crowd but knew that he was one of Sparrow's men and that Lex considered Faith, at the least, a close allay.

"FAITH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH SALEM SABERHAGEN IN ORDER TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

"Yes."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON SALEM SABERHAGEN WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"Yes."

"IF HE REMAINS A CAT, YOU WILL BECOME ONE?"

"Yes."

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"Yes."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME SALEM SABERHAGEN COMMITS, YOU WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"Yes."

"AND THAT ANY CRIME YOU COMMIT, HE, TOO, WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Salem's green eyes shot wide at that unexpected question, but again Faith remained outwardly calm and astonishingly docile. "Yes."

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS SALEM SABERHAGEN'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

That was the question whose answer Faith could not get out. She trembled. She croaked the answer.

"WE CAN NOT HEAR YOU."

She tried again, but all she could think about was losing Dawson. Then she remembered that she had stripped him of his innocence and that he would have been better off without her. She raised her chin. Her dark eyes shot a Look at Drell that clearly told him to go to Hell. "Yes," she ground out.

Dawson whispered, "Does that mean you can't be a Pirate any more!" That was one clause that had really stunned him. Whatever Faith did would be put on Salem and vice versa! That meant they couldn't be Pirates! Did she realize that? He didn't think she'd be able to answer him, but he wanted her to think about it, but alas, her "yes" came too quickly.

Jack was trying to follow in his mind all these ifs, ands, and therefores as to what would be required when his turn came. He knew he had to stand for some one, just not who the Wizards had wanted him to stand for yet. The question before the Immortality clause really floored him. He heard Dawson's whisper. Did that mean he couldn't be a Pirate! Hold everything! he wanted to yell but instead raised his hand timidly, hoping to catch Drell's eye.

Drell ignored Sparrow. "ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING FAITH AS SALEM SABERHAGEN'S GUARDIAN, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." This time, the "aye"s resounded. Salem and Faith let out a breath neither had realized they were holding, and Drell cast another Look upon Jack, who was now jumping up and down in place and waving like a maniac. "YES, SPARROW?" Drell ground out.

"Another question, Your Honor. That second to last query. Does that mean we can't be Pirates if we stand by somebody? That's our way of life! We have to give it up?" Confusion shone clearly on Jack's face. He wasn't too worried about the Immortal part, because he had a surprise for Will if it came down to it, but having to give up the life of a Pirate, now that was an entirely different matter! If he wasn't a Pirate, what would he be doing? No more Pearl? he thought, and a sadness filled his soul he did not think could reach there. The sea called to him and had always called him since he had been a small lad, even before he was kidnapped. He looked at Drell, hoping he wasn't about to hear a death knell.

"ANOTHER PARTY HAS ALREADY BROUGHT THAT TO OUR ATTENTION, CAPTAIN SPARROW. IT WILL REMAIN UP TO THOSE WHO STAND FOR THE CRIMINALS, THE CRIMINALS THEMSELVES, YOURSELF, AND CAPTAIN KYNA CHAN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THOSE WHO STAND AND THE CRIMINALS WILL BE ALLOWED TO CARRY ON THEIR ACTS OF PIRACY."

"What do you mean, Your Honor?" Jack asked, his gaze intent upon Drell. If he could smite him, he would gladly!

"IS IT NOT CORRECT," Drell questioned Jack, "THAT YOUR SHIPS, THE BLACK PEARL AND DESTINY'S GHOST, AND THE CREWS UPON EACH HAVE, FOR A LONG TIME, BEEN ENTWINED IN STATUSES OF FAMILIAL AND FAMILIARITY?"

"I guess you could say that, Your Honor. We are a family. There was just so many of us we needed two ships, but alas, we have none! Neither does Captain Chan!"

"AND IS IT NOT ALSO CORRECT THAT, THOUGH YOUR CREW HAS DABBLED IN GOOD DEEDS, YOUR ACTS OF WICKED PIRACY REMAIN MOST IMPORTANT?"

"Huh . . . " Jack was confused as to the question, but he didn't want to let on. What was the man asking? Was he asking if he was a bad Pirate or a good Pirate? "Sometimes," he admitted finally, hoping that would cover it.

"IS IT NOT ALSO CORRECT THAT CHAN'S CREW, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS DONE MORE GOOD DEEDS THAN WICKED?"

"I . . . try to keep it that way, Sir." Kyna realized that that fact was true, albeit much to Spike's chagrin, but she had always been a do-gooder.

"DO YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A MIX OF GOOD AND EVIL IN ALL THINGS? IN LIFE? IN THIS VERY COUNCIL?"

"Yes, Sir, Your Honor. Yin and Yang," Jack told him very seriously. Where had he heard that from? It sounded intelligent! Would that impress Drell?

Kyna nodded and spoke simply. "YES, SIR."

"THEN, AS I SAID, IT WILL REMAIN UP TO THOSE WHO STAND FOR THE CRIMINALS, THE CRIMINALS THEMSELVES, AND YOU TWO CAPTAINS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE OTHERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN PIRATES. SHOULD THEY REMAIN PIRATES, THEY MUST BE MEMBERS OF YOUR SHIP, WHICH WILL BE CO-CAPTAINED. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RETURN OF YOUR SHIP IN THE WORKS, CAPTAIN SPARROW, BUT IT CAN BE ARRANGED SO THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM ON BOARD THE VESSEL FOR TWO CREWS, INSTEAD OF MERELY ONE."

"When will the Pearl be returned, Sir?" Jack asked. He was clasping both of his hands together to try to contain his joy. He did not mind that Captain Chan would also have to be a Captain as long as he got his beloved Pearl back beneath his feet! He was sick of the land and the trouble it caused!

"WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, IF SHE IS NEEDED, SHE WILL BE RETURNED, BUT ALL PARTIES MUST AGREE."

Jack looked at Kyna. "I agree," he said with a wink at Kyna. He turned back to look at Drell. "Can we have her at once please?"

Kyna shook her head at Jack's next question but hurriedly threw in, "I AGREE."

Drell passed on Jack's final question as though it had not been spoken at all. "SNAPE," he called, "READ THE NEXT ONE."

Jack moved back to his place beside Will. He reached out, took his hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. He was not liking to have to step forward and talk to Drell, but somebody had to do it and he was not afraid to look like a fool in front of his people. If it helped them, he'd do it again.

Will's fingers entwined with Jack's, and fear pounded in his heart. He never wanted to let go of his love. He knew he couldn't stand it if Jack stood for some one and accepted this horrid gift of Immortality, but he felt sure that Jack would sooner or later. When he did, Will vowed he would speak for the next one, regardless of who or what it was.

"NEXT," Snape's voice carried out over the crowd, "WE CALL ERIK MAGNUS LEHNSHERR, BETTER KNOWN AS MAGNETO."

Whispers again ran through the crowd. Who was this Erik Magnus Lehnsherr? None but Salem, his men, and the Council had heard of Lehnsherr, but a few knew of Magneto. Those who did held mixed feelings for the man for his reputation far preceded him. Amongst the voices, one suddenly rose. "Let me go, Charles," he could be heard saying. "I will stand before them, and I do not fear them, my love."

Curious bystanders turned to look at where the man's voice came from and saw a white-haired man leaving the arms of a bald Wizard. Magnus paused to kiss Charles on the cheek, but Charles turned so that his lips caught Erik's instead. He did not want what might prove to be their last kiss to be anywhere other than the mouth.

More whispers ran rampant at the sight. Several mouths dropped open, including Ororo's. For once, even the dignified African woman forgot not to stare as the two men shared a moment before Drell loudly cleared his throat and Magnus started to walk to the center of the room. Erik knew he was in dire trouble, but still he held his head high and his shoulders straight.

Wolverine's eyes had followed 'Ro's just in time to catch the kiss. Well, I'll be damned! he thought. The old, bald geezer is in love with a man! Thank Gods he ain't after 'Ro! I'd hate to have to fight him!

Cole looked at Magneto. He had once seen him in action and had marvelled at his abilities. He had not realized that he, too, had been one of Salem's men caught in the trap. It seemed like things were heating up even more than he had imagined. Weren't there two of them? A younger one? He looked around but did not see one. He thought he might be the next one called to trial. Cole had almost been caught in that net of lies for he had been thinking about following Salem, and if another business had not come to hand, would have been mixed up and on trial like the rest of them. He had done only one job for Salem, and apparently, it wasn't big enough to warrant the Council's attention. Or was it? He began to worry.

Xena looked on with intense interest. She had seen Magneto in action once and had heard other accounts of his misdoings. You would have thought he was as big as a mountain as his reputation would have you believe! She was awed by his regal approach to the executioner's throne, because the man walked as though he was a King. The nobility rang through. She reached out, taking Gabrielle's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She had seen the kiss and knew that, if it was her last kiss, she would have been just as obvious in showing her love for Gabrielle. She would never have thought it of the old Wizard, though. In fact, she had thought he was ageless and sexless. His intense feelings of love amazed her. She empathized with Magneto and hoped that, when her time came, she'd be just as brave.

Gabrielle's fingers threaded with Xena's, and she slid even closer to her love's side. She could see so much of Xena in the way Magneto carried himself that it both surprised and scared her. Xena, too, would have gone to her death in such a manner -- refusing to let her fear show, keeping her outward appearance strong and proud, letting only one emotion show. Her heart also felt for Charles, and she wondered how he was being able to hold himself back. It must be, she thought, that he feared that his involvement would only make things worse for his beloved, which, in truth, it probably would. Her green eyes turned to the Council, knowing that the list of charges was about to be read. Did Magnus stand a chance? Who would stand for him?

Jack looked at Magneto and wondered. Was this the one they wanted me to stand for? He prepared himself for the worst. How could he tell Will that he was about to step forward and accept Magneto without panicking the lad? He reached out and took Will's hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze. He then continued watching the proceedings, awaiting his time.

Trina, too, watched Magneto take his stand in the center of the room in amazement. The man looked to be ancient with wrinkles everywhere she could see, but obviously he had done so many wicked deeds and must have been very powerful in his time. Power and regality still seemed to radiate from him. Her ears caught her brother's mutterings from behind her, and she rolled her eyes heavenward at Trent. Times like these, when he openly fussed about how such an old man could be a killer, made her think her brother might well be hopeless, but then a faint smile chased across her lips as she heard Carlos strongly "suggesting" that Trent shut up.

Wolf's keen, sharp eyes had been staring at the thirteen dais for a long time. He had not been surprised to see a familiar, redheaded, Queenly woman in their midst. Most of the faces, he did not recognize as he had never met them personally, and Drell had not seen fit to introduce them. Still holding to Elvira's hand, he whispered in her ear, "We have at least one friend up there, darling. She'll stand by us and help us in any way she can." He nuzzled the back of her neck. In case any one was looking, they would think he was getting frisky.

How soon would Jareth be called? he wondered. Just how big in the crime world had his future brother-in-law been? Part of him wanted to get it over with. He did not dread the part about Immortality as the rest of his family was already Immortal and he'd just be joining them. He never really had thought about living forever, and he didn't think about it now, but his mind did wander toward thinking about the Labyrinth. He figured Jareth would be returned there. After all, they had made him King there. Then, a cold, dark icy finger of fear ran up his spine. How horrible would it be if something else entirely different awaited them! Something dank, dark, and very smelly! He shook it off as though it were a flea and nuzzled Elvira again.

Elvira's brow had arched in surprise when Wolf had told her that a woman in the Council would stand beside them as best she was able to. She leaned in to his embrace but whispered back, "She? Who is she?"

"The red-haired one. She's a friend from long ago. She flirted with me once. I guess the wolf brings out every female, whether I want it to or not."

"Wolf, we are in dire straits but not dire enough to sell yourself out!" Elvira hissed back, her fangs revealing as her body went stiff in his arms.

"I didn't sell myself out. I just said she flirted with me. I was as beneath her as much as the dirt is beneath our feet. I was a lowly Werewolf, and she . . . well, she's a Queen. She's Queen Cinderella, and there's no need to be jealous, my love. I never once entertained thoughts of sleeping with her."

"And you'd best not do it now. There's always another way of getting what you want besides spreading your legs." Delvira had taught her that. "But Cinderella? Like in the fairy tale Cinderella?"

"Yes, darling, like in the fairy tale. There is a whole kingdom where fairy tales are alive. I'll take you there some day. I am friends with the King there, too. Not her husband. I have never had the privilege of meeting her husband, but from the way she talks about him, I really don't want to. I have a fairy tale of my very own. I never thought about it that way. I'll tell you about it someday soon."

Elvira started to tell Wolf that she looked forward to hearing his tale, and playing with his tail, but her words were drowned out by another bark from Drell. "WELL?" he demanded. "WE'RE WAITING, SNAPE. READ THE LIST OF CHARGES."

"Yes, Sir. Well," Severus shuffled the large stack of papers he held, "here we go." He cleared his throat and then began to read. "ERIK MAGNUS LEHNSHERR, ALIAS MAGNETO, IS CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ARSON, BIAS-MOTIVATED CRIME, BURGLARY, COERCION, CONCEALMENT, FRAUD, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DRUG TRAFFICKING, EXTORTION, FORGERY, FRAUD, GRAFFITI, HARRASSMENT, BREAKING AND ENTERING, GRAND LARCENY, LOITERING, PERJURY, PORNOGRAPHY, PROPERTY CRIME, PSYCHOACTIVITY, PUBLIC INTOXICATION, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, ROBBERY, SHOPLIFTING, SIMPLE ASSAULT, EXTENDED ASSAULT, VANDALISM, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, AIDED ESCAPE, ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING, TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, ESPIONAGE, POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SELL, TAX EVASION, ARMED ASSAULT, THEFT, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, RESISTING ARREST, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SLAVERY . . . " The list read on and on.

As the last word left Snape's mouth, Jack prepared to step forward and had, in fact, lifted a foot to move when a voice filled his head. Not yet. He relaxed. Was it a bigger male that he was supposed to stand for? He continued to hold Will's hand and watched to see who would step forward.

In Salem's case, most of the listeners had somehow missed the charge of human trafficking, but the moment that charge had been read, many loud voices had raised in accusation. Names had been called, and curses shouted. Even now, various individuals continued to proclaim, but amongst the voices, one in particular called out. She did not shout, but yet her voice still sounded clearly above the rest just as Drell asked if any one would stand for Magneto. "I WILL." Eyes turned to look at Ororo Munroe as she stepped forward, leaving behind her family to walk closer to the dais.

"Aunt Ororo!" Piper exclaimed, her face paled with shock. "Surely you can not intend to stand for a slaver!"

Wolverine looked at 'Ro as though she had lost her mind completely. "'Ro?" he whispered her name in shock. How in the Hell could his 'Ro have stepped forward to accept Magneto? Then his mind connected back to Charles and Magneto's kiss, and he understood. No one else would stand for Magneto, the skunk that he was, except for 'Ro, and she did it out of her love for Charles. "Leave it alone, Piper," he whispered very calmly. "Your Aunt is full of surprises, an' this is just another one o' 'em. She has to do this. We have to support her." His hand went out to the girl's shoulder, and he squeezed it gently. "We don't always have to understand her, but we do have to be there for her. That's what family's about. She has to do this fer Charles. He's her father."

Standing beside them, Jack was too busy thinking about why his mother had stepped forward to stand for the man she knew nothing about to overhear their conversation. He, too, had seen the kiss between Charles and Magneto, which had surprised him greatly. If his mother knew about that and accepted it between the man she thought of as a father and his lover, that would explain why she had accepted it so readily between himself and Will. Maybe that's why she had stepped forward? He would help her in any way he could. He continued to wonder who they had picked for him to stand for. Maybe it was James? Captain Hook. One Captain standing for another? That would make sense.

Piper looked at Wolverine as though he, too, had taken leave of his senses. "Her father's dead!" she whispered back. "Ororo lost both her parents when she was a little girl!"

"Yes, but Charles is her adopted father." He bravely smiled at her. He didn't want the world to know that his heart might be breaking at any moment if and when he lost 'Ro. Up until the moment he actually lost 'Ro, he felt that he could do anything. He wasn't sure what he was, but one thing he was sure of was that he was not Immortal. He didn't like the idea of her becoming Immortal, but he would not think on that now. He'd enjoy each minute that he had with her and thank the Gods for it, and if he died before she did, he'd haunt her.

Piper was still glowering at Wolverine when another voice spoke up very quietly from directly behind them. The woman took her by surprise, and she jumped slightly before turning to look at the redhead. "Charles says," Rachel whispered to them, "not to worry. He's got a plan, and all will come right." Her green eyes turned to look at Wolverine. "Xavier can be trusted as much as my Father can not be trusted."

"What makes ya so sure o' this, little darlin'?" Wolverine asked her. "My experience is ya never can trust a Wizard."

"I have known Charles since I was a child, and I hold him in as high regard as Ororo does. He will not let us down."

Kitty stepped up beside Rachel. "She's right, Dad. If Charles says that he can fix it, he can, just not while they're looking on." Lockheed cooed in agreement from where he had perched himself upon the top of her head.

"I won't say anythin' against the old, bald geezer and I will give him a chance," Wolverine agreed, "but if he doesn't straighten this mess out, then I'll give him my claw."

Kitty spoke no more for she had known that that would be the most she could get Wolverine to agree to. Ray, taking note of the look in her best friend's eyes, also fell silent and turned her attention back to the judgement just in time to hear a bearded man speak out in protest.

"I am telling you," Lionel Luther protested, "she is a thief! I know the woman! I remember her! She picked my pocket when I was a boy!"

"She spent her childhood in Africa," Queen Cinderella argued.

"We were in Africa at the time," Lionel explained. "We had gone to pick up a shipment of slaves."

"Then you deserved to have your pocket picked! That should not be held against the woman. After all, need I remind you, Mister Luther, that even we are a mixture of Good and Evil? Surely you do not consider yourself amongst the Good?"

Lionel scowled at her, but Gandalf spoke up, changing the direction of the debate. "It is true that Ororo Munroe has worn many hats, but then we all have. I have watched over her as she has dealt with others, though, and she has a good heart."

"Oh, do spare us," scowled the horned woman called Maleficent.

"She does," Gandalf insisted, "and the four are in good hands with her."

"But if she stands for Magneto, he will also be around the four," another pointed out.

"True enough," Merlin commented, "but a chance that they might have a worse role model should make some of you glad."

Prue's quick ears picked up a reference to "four". What were they talking about? she wondered. She and her sisters were just coming into their powers, and there were four of them. Could it be about them? Auntie 'Ro was their guardian, and this discussion was mainly about her. "Piper!" she hissed. "They're talking about us!"

Piper fell back, walking carefully backwards a few steps past Cole, Wolverine, Kitty, Rachel, Jasmine, and Paige to where Prue stood as close to Brendan as she could get. "I was thinking the same thing," she whispered back, "but why? What's so important about us?"

Brendan stole a sideways glance at the eldest Halliwells. He, too, had concluded the same and wondered why their closeness to Ororo was part of the debate. He knew they were powerful, but he would have had no idea that they were powerful enough to bring the Council's attention upon them. Still, what had Kyna said earlier? Something about the Council watching over every one? Or had that been Xena? Some one had said it, he was sure.

Cole shook his head. If the idiot Council kept talking amongst themselves the way they were doing now, the four would know more than they should know at this time. He moved back to stand beside Piper, leaving Jasmine alone for a moment but keeping one eye on her. How could he answer their questions without giving away too much? Even he did not have all the answers. He whispered to the girls now, "'Ro will tell you about that soon. I think it's because the four of you will be very powerful Witches one day, and both sides are hoping to win you to their cause."

Piper started to speak but was drowned out by Drell's sudden bark. "ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ORORO MUNROE STANDING FOR MAGNETO, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." The "aye"s resounded for Gandalf and Merlin had successfully convinced the others that Magneto's close proximity to Ororo might end up having a negative impact on the four.

Once the Council's decision was made, Drell looked down upon Ororo, who had now walked to Magneto's side. He noticed the man staring at her in shock but dismissed it as he questioned her. "ORORO MUNROE, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH ERIK MAGNUS LEHNSHERR, ALIAS MAGNETO, IN ORDER TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

"Yes."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON MAGNETO WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"Yes."

"IF HE REMAINS OLD AND IMPOTENT, YOU WILL BECOME OLD AND IMPOTENT?"

"Yes." She ignored the heat that touched her cheeks and her worry that Logan might no longer want her should she be unable to meet his hunger in the bedroom.

_What the Hell!_ Wolverine thought. Was his fireball of a sex kitten to lose her sexual prowess? It would kill the both of them! When her answer of "yes" came, he almost fell out. A single, lone tear ran down his face, and he swiped at it angrily. He was determined to stand by 'Ro regardless of what it did to them physically. He knew he'd love her forever, any way, even if she couldn't get it up, but oh those thunderstorms!

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"Yes."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME MAGNETO COMMITS, YOU WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Ororo glanced sideways at Magneto, whose shock was growing with each affirmation that left her mouth. She reminded herself that this was the person Charles loved and turned her full attention back to Drell. "Yes."

"AND THAT ANY CRIME THAT YOU COMMIT, HE, TOO, WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

When Ororo did not speak, Magnus' worry began to grow again. 'Ro cleared her voice and whispered urgently to him, "He's asking you."

"He is?"

"Yes."

"Oh! Oh, yes, Sir, Your Honor!"

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS MAGNETO'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

Ororo held her head high and her chin aloft. Her blue eyes squarely met Drell's gaze, and she spoke one last time in a firm, unwavering voice. "Yes."

"AND AGAIN, FROM THE COUNCIL," Drell directed. Again, the 'aye's resounded, and he tapped his gavel upon the podium. "IT IS SETTLED. ORORO MUNROE WILL BE MAGNETO'S GUARDIAN. NEXT."

Snape was ready this time. "NEXT, WE CALL JARETH."

Delvira closed her eyes for a moment as her whole body, inside and out, went weak. Dear Gods, she had known this moment was coming, but that knowledge, and even the knowledge that Wolf was ready and willing to stand for her beloved, did very little to comfort her heart. She felt a hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes to see Elvira.

Wolf stepped forward to stand between the two sisters, a sly smile upon his face. "Show time, ladies," he whispered. "Hang in there. We will win out on this thing." He was speaking more optimistically than he felt, because when Jareth's name had been called, his heart had fell to his feet, but he knew he had to brave it forward. He was the one support for both of the ladies, and he felt sure that Delvira might would faint at any moment if something bad were to happen to Jareth. He knew it was his time to be at bat, and he prayed that he was strong enough to carry it through.

He had never been one for extreme action but mostly had been a silver-tongued devil. His tongue had gotten him out of many bad positions before, and he prayed it would do the same this time. His eyes fell upon Drell's face. Why, the man seemed to be enjoying it! He knew deep down that some people got off on other people's pain and sorrow and figured Drell to be one of them. He wished that he could wipe that smirk off of his face. Then, his eyes went to Queen Cindy, who winked at him. Thank the Goddess, he thought, she does remember me!

Jareth paused only a moment and looked back at his wife and his family. What a brave man Wolf is! I shall be thankful to him forever! I know that if something happens to me, he will take care of both Delvira and Elvira. The feeling that thought gave him warmed his heart and gave him strength to walk forward and stand in front of Drell. He gazed up into his face and saw the look that Drell gave him as though he were only a maggot, and it angered him. How he would love to wipe that smirk off of his face!

**To Be Continued . . . **


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

**The Council's Court Room**

Delvira saw Jareth stand in the center of the room, the very spot where Magneto and Ororo had just stepped away from. She knew she could not stand for her beloved, but she would stand beside him. She walked forward without hesitation and slipped her hand into Jareth's without a word.

Elvira looked at Wolf after Jareth and Delvira had walked forward. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, and her black eyes sparkled with unwept tears. "You . . . " She swallowed hard against what felt like a cannonball in her throat. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"Why would you have me back out now, Elvira? I do not fear Drell, and I care about your family. I will do all that I can to help Jareth. I know that I am not as brave as some people are, but my strength lies in my love for you and it will help me overcome all obstacles thrown my way." He looked deep into her eyes and, lifting one finger, gently wiped away a single tear that was making its way slowly down her face. Catching it, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"I . . . would not, my love," Elvira's voice trembled as she answered him. She caressed the side of his handsome face with her hand, her black fingernails softly grazing the smooth skin of his temple. "I only want that you should not regret this later and had to give you an opportunity to back down."

"I regret nothing I do in the name of love," he quickly assured her. "Do not fear, my love. All will come right." He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips gently to hers. His keen ears were listening intently to what Snape was reading even though the rest of his body was responding to Elvira.

Elvira's lips parted underneath Wolf's, and her tongue thrust up into his mouth. Her bosom arched against his chest, her heart soaring with the wings his love granted it. Her hands were now cupping his face, but she pulled back from him just a bit. Her eyes searched his, and she saw the questions therein. She smiled through her tears, and her mouth parted less than an inch away from his to whisper to him. "I wanted to tell you something last night but couldn't in wolf form. I wanted to tell you something a while ago, but I didn't want you thinking that it was just 'cause you're standing for Jareth. I still don't want you to think that, 'cause it's got nothing to do with it. But I've got to tell you before you go out there, 'cause there's no telling when I might get another chance to. Wolf, . . . I love you!"

Her words sent his heart spinning end over end and bursting into the galaxy. Finally, his beloved was declaring her love, and he, unfortunately, could not show her how much he loved her! He did not know how long it would have to wait before he could show her. "I know it's not because of Jareth, Elvira. You couldn't have given yourself to me so wildly and freely and us have been so great together otherwise. I long to be out of here with you so that I can show you my love, but alas, it's not to be for now! But one day! And until that day, I want you to know how much your admitting it means to me. I already knew it. So did you. But now you're not afraid to admit it." He kissed her gently with a pledge of his undying love.

Her arms wrapped around him, and she melted into him. She poured all the love she'd been holding back into their kiss as Snape droned on.

As Elvira kissed him, Wolf felt fireworks exploding, and his tail jerked. It was going to come out of his robe, he knew, at any moment, and he reached one hand back and made sure it was still covered.

Elvira's hands dropped lower behind Wolf's back. Her arms brushed against his, and her hands slipped boldly underneath the folds of his robe. Her fingers trailed over his hands, and then she found what she sought. Her body melded even more into his as she took hold of his tail and began to stroke it, rubbing always with the fur and never against it.

" . . . CHILD ABUSE, PSYCHOACTIVITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL INTOXICATION, SEXUAL INNUENDO, PROSTUTION, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING, TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, ESPINOAGE, POSSESSION, TAX EVASION, ARMED ASSAULT, THEFT, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, RESISTING ARREST, SLAVERY . . . "

When Snape had at last finished the long list of charges, Drell called out, "WHO WILL STAND FOR JARETH?"

Wolf reluctantly broke from Elvira's embrace and stepped boldly forward. "I do, Your Honor!"

Drell peered down his nose at the man who came forward. He rose a single brow at the sight of the robe swishing behind Wolf. Elvira followed Wolf, but Drell dismissed the sight of the sisters' accompaniment to their men as Wolf had been the only one to dare to say he would stand for Jareth.

"Him?" the pale man dressed all in black sniffed disdainfully. "Surely you jest this consideration, Drell? He is but a Werewolf!"

"He may be a Werewolf," Queen Cinderella spoke up before Drell could answer, "but need I remind you, Count Dracula, that we are not here to judge based on species or on Good or Evil? Though a Werewolf, it is Wolf who single-handedly rescued King Wendell. It was his good deeds that saved the 10 Kingdoms during the crisis of the Evil Queen and earned a pardon for all Wolves in the 4th Kingdom and the rest of the Kingdoms belonging to rulers who signed an agreement with the 4th, including my own."

"You speak as though you know the man, Cinderella."

"I do, and I think quite highly of him, Aslan."

The lion's tail swished. "Wolves can be trouble but no more so than any other carnivorous beast and certainly much less so than humans. I agree with Cinderella. Give the man a chance."

Jareth's eyes glanced sidewards at Wolf. So the man had not lied? He really did have a friend up there, and she was doing her best to stand by them! Wolf went up a little in his estimation. He seemed to truly be a man of his word. He gave Wolf a tremulous half-smile.

Wolf grinned back at him. "Hello, Your Majesty!" Wolf called upward even though he could not see Cindy at the time. "Hope you've been doing well."

"I have, Wolf, and I am glad to see you. I only wish it were in better circumstances."

"That is true, Your Majesty. I wish that it were, but I am still glad to see you again. How is King Wendell?"

"He fares quite well and misses you. You should visit us sometime. You know you have a standing invitation at both our castles."

Elvira glanced at Wolf in surprise.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, and if you would convey my best wishes to King Wendell, I would appreciate it." He could see that Drell was glowering at him, but he had to take this chance to let Queen Cindy know that he was indeed glad to see her again. "This is my family now, and I am a Pirate," he boasted proudly. "Perhaps we might sail into your Kingdoms one day," he said rather wistfully.

"You and yours will be welcomed as long as you leave your acts of piracy on the other side of the mirror."

"I would never bring them through, Your Majesty! I have never meant any harm to either of you or your people! In fact, I consider you as part of my family."

"I know you've never meant us any harm, Wolf, but your Captain might have other ideas." Cinderella cast a glance towards Captains Sparrow and Xena.

"ENOUGH OF THIS CHIT-CHATTING!" Drell thundered out impatiently. "THIS IS NOT A REUNION! THIS IS A _TRIAL_!"

"Yes, Your Honor," Wolf told him with a sly wink at Elvira, "and I am here to stand for King Jareth."

"WARREN WOLFSON, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH JARETH IN ORDER TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

Wolf cringed at the sound of that awful, awful name. He never thought of himself as Warren. How could his mother have disgraced him with such an awful name! He never had a chance to ask her, and he never dared ask any one else in his first family before they were killed. He hoped Elvira wouldn't laugh at it. He had never even signed his Pirate papers with anything other than Wolf. He expected laughter, but none came. He was thankful for it. He did not dare to look at Elvira.

Unlike Wolf, Elvira liked the sound of his real name. "Warren" and "Wolfson" sounded good together, and she wondered why he had not told her his true name before. She quickly decided that "Elvira" AND "Wolfson" also sounded good. It would be odd enough to have a last name when they did finally marry, but at least it would be a good one. She smiled at Wolf, wondering why he refused to look at her. Could he be that embarrassed of a good name?

Xena looked quickly at Jack at the new development of at last discovering what Wolf's name truly was. She thought that the papers that Wolf had originally signed, placing him on their crew, would no longer be good if they even existed. No wonder Wolf hid his name! She could just imagine kids taunting him. Poor little Wolf, she thought, to be stuck with a name like Warren! Kids could be so cruel, and it was bad enough he had a tail to start with. She could understand him even better now.

Jack was thinking along the same lines, but he wasn't upset that Wolf had hid his name. After all, he didn't know his own father's real name other than Wolverine. Could his Dad's name be Warren, too? That was definitely a name to hide from! Warren Wolverine. It sounded like it would go together, and his Dad being short . . . Yup, they would have definitely picked on him!

He'd have to get Wolf to sign new papers as soon as they got a ship, because even though it wouldn't be legal and stand up in a court of law, it just would look better on paper and would give him something to back Wolf's agreement up on. Jack couldn't read it, but he knew that Wolf could both read and write. He had often wondered about the more courtly manners that Wolf possessed, and now he knew why. The man had been a member of a King's court! Why did he keep himself so secret? The only thing Jack actually knew about Wolf was from the point where he had helped to rescue him from the crazed villagers. What had actually happened in this man's life to make him the way he was? The quieter Jack became, the more he was learning about his very crew and family members. He was a very good listener and vowed to remember everything he heard this day. There were too many secrets amongst his family, and once they were out of this mess, he would give every one a chance to come clean.

The mention of a mirror made Jack's mind wonder what had happened to the original mirror he had had to cover to make it be quiet. Could it have been a magic mirror? Then he remembered the things he had seen in it and knew that it had to have been a cursed mirror. He hoped that it was at the bottom of Davy Jones' locker as he certainly would never miss that thing. He tuned back in to the conversation as he heard Wolf answering Drell.

"Yes, Sir, Your Honor, I do," Wolf replied, gazing intently into Drell's face. Drell seemed to sneer down at him. It brought back memories to Wolf of a time when he had been on trial for himself, and it made him stand even taller and straighter beside Jareth and their ladies.

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON JARETH WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"That I do, Sir."

"IF HE REMAINS CONDEMNED TO A LIFE UNDERGROUND, YOU WILL BECOME CONDEMNED TO A LIFE UNDERGROUND, AS WELL, MEANING THAT YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN BE ALLOWED TO SET FOOT ABOVE GROUND, COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE ABOVE GROUND, OR SEE THE SUN OR MOON?"

For a brief moment, Wolf thought of exactly what that would mean. The thought of never seeing the moon again brought pain to his heart, but he would gladly kiss it good-bye as long as it meant that he had Elvira and her love still and that Jareth had a second chance. "One question on that, Your Honor. Does that mean that I have to do those tricky games that Jareth does, as well?"

"INDEED IT DOES. YOU, TOO, WILL BE CALLED UPON TO AID MISBEGOTTEN, FEMALE TEENAGERS' PASSAGES INTO ADULTHOOD."

Elvira's eyes flashed at that, but she kept her tongue silent.

"I have to be honest, Your Honor. I especially don't like that part of it, but I will accept it on Jareth's behalf."

Drell didn't give a hoot what Wolf liked or didn't like. "FURTHERMORE, IF JARETH REMAINS KING OF THE LABYRINTH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE HAPPENINGS IN THE LABYRINTH AND AMONGST ITS BEINGS?"

"Yes." Wolf tried to quiet the turmoil that was flowing through his mind. He knew Elvira did not like the idea that he would have to play the same games that Jareth had to play, but it was part of it, after all. It didn't mean that he'd have to like it or even willingly do it. It just had to be done. He hated that even more than the thought of losing the moon, because he feared that Elvira would think him fickle.

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Wolf thought, That might be better than having a mad Elvira who hated his guts for having to play with female children.

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME JARETH COMMITS, YOU WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"Yes, and any crime that I commit he gets stuck with, too!" He wanted to stick his tongue out at Drell. All these stupid questions over and over again were getting old, and Wolf had never been known for his patience! Why couldn't they just get it over with! Ask one question, and let it ride!

"INDEED. JARETH, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME WARREN WOLFSON COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Jareth wished that he could get the thought of laughing out of his mind. Wolf was very comical, and only Wolf would dare to get sassy in front of Drell! "Yes, Sir, Your Honor." He winked at Wolf.

"DO YOUR SILLY BUSINESS ON YOUR OWN TIME," a voice growled from above. Ursula was getting tired of looking down on all these gorgeous males and knowing that she could not get her paws on any of them. These two were just the latest she wished she could taste for one brief moment!

"YOU HEARD THE LADY," Drell announced his agreement with the Sea Witch.

Elvira glanced from Wolf to Drell and then finally to the bitch that was eyeing her man. What she saw sitting there almost made her burst out laughing. The woman was big enough to make three of her sister and herself; had purple skin and long, white hair that was flowing out from her head like Medusa's snakes; and octopus legs! She cleared her throat, biting down on her chuckle.

Wolf grinned slyly at Elvira. He had something to tell her about that whale later.

Jareth looked at Drell. "I understand that what we do reflects upon the other, and I thank Wolf for standing by me."

Wolf grinned.

Delvira looked away from Ursula, who she had tangled with before and was glowering at, and whispered to Wolf, "As do I."

"HOW TOUCHING," Drell crooned mockingly. "SAVE IT FOR OUTSIDE THE COURT ROOM. ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, WARREN WOLFSON, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS JARETH'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Wolf said in a more serious note. He thought he would like the part of being Immortal. That meant he could be with his family forever as they were already Immortal. Better to be with your family in Hell than to be alone in Heaven, he thought.

"Sir!" a voice suddenly called out from the throng of captives. "Your Honor, Sir, I have but one question!" Various people stepped aside, making room for the small dogman to pass by. Didymus waved his cane at Drell, who was glowering at Jack and wondering how he was managing to throw his voice and make it sound different. "Over here, Sir!"

Jack shook his head when Drell was looking at him. It wasn't him this time! His eyes went in the direction he had heard the familiar voice come from. Sure enough, there was Sir Didymus, demanding attention. He wondered what the small dog had on his mind.

Jareth gazed down upon Didymus and smiled. Leave it to Didymus! Small as he was, he always managed to make it to his King's side! He was glad to see the little fellow now and know that he was all right, but what could he possibly want to ask?

Delvira thought much the same as she saw Sir Didymus approaching. He came to a stop beside them, and Delvira, figuring Drell might well be about to attempt to strike the poor fellow down, reached out and placed her free hand on Didymus' small, thin shoulder. She heard a rustle behind them and glanced out of the corner of her black eyes to see a redheaded woman holding a fireball. What, Delvira wondered, could O'Hara be at now? At least, she thought that was her name.

Ace stood beside Kat and hoped she didn't throw the thing. All they needed was a fire in that small, enclosed room! "Kat?" he pleaded in a whisper. "Don't throw that thing, darling. It will cause panic among the people, but if you do throw it, make sure you hit him dead center." He had had just about all he could stand of Drell, as well.

"That I will, Ace," Kat whispered back, her brogue still thicker than usual, "but if'n ye din't want me tae throw it, ye'd best be hopin' he din't make a move toward the lad fer if'n he attempts tae hurt one hair on that wee dog's head, his ass is mine."

"WELL, SPEAK, DOG," Drell snapped, "AND DO NOT THINK THAT YOU, TOO, WILL STAND FOR JARETH."

"I do not, Your Highness. I would have but said naught for I thought that you certainly would never allow his people to stand for him. That brings me to my question. Should the King be denounced of his position and no longer held strictly to the Labyrinth, will he be allowed in the Labyrinth at all?"

"NO. THE ONLY ONES ALLOWED TO BE IN THE LABYRINTH WHO ARE NOT OF ITS NATURAL BEINGS ARE ITS RULER, HIS FAMILY, AND THOSE CURRENTLY BEING TRIED."

"Then, what of those of us who do not wish to be separated from his side?"

Jareth could not believe the words coming from the little dog's mouth. He had not always been the best of Kings and had usually not had his people's best welfare in mind, yet if he was to believe what was coming out of Didymus' mouth, his people still loved him. He marvelled at that thought and vowed to be a better King if given the chance.

"YOU SPEAK AS THOUGH THERE IS MORE THAN YOURSELF . . . "

Drell was cut off by a high-pitched, feminine voice. "Yes! Yes! Yes! There is more! There is Trely and Teak!"

As Drell cast an ill look upon the little Goblins who were hurrying forward, Delvira, too, marvelled over this revelation. She could not believe that any of their people would insist upon standing by them now, let alone one who had lost his eye in service to his King and two who had been kicked and had fireballs thrown at them more times than she could count.

"IT DOES NOT MATTER," Drell told them, "HOW MANY OF YOU THERE ARE. THE BEINGS IN THE LABYRINTH ARE TO BE KEPT IN THE LABYRINTH UNLESS THEY ARE NEEDED IN A TEST FOR A GIRL."

"That's crap!" Pulling herself up to her full height, the woman stepped away from her mate and whispered out of the side of her mouth at the cat perched atop her shoulder, "Capt'n, ye might wanna get back there."

"I will not leave you, Kat. You know that," came his purred answer.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" Drell's voice thundered through the room so loudly that it shook all four walls.

Ace stepped forward to stand beside Kat. "She said it was crap, Your Honor, and I believe it to be crap, too! If they want to follow their King, they should be allowed to!" He waited for Drell to throw a lightning bolt and prepared to throw himself to the floor, hoping it would miss him.

"THEY ARE INSIGNIFICANT BEINGS."

"Insignificant, me Irish ass! Ye din't separate a dog from the person he loves! These beings think! They feel! They have hearts where others," Kat glowered pointedly at Drell, "fail tae! Give 'em a chance!"

A general murmuring of voices agreed with Kat from the floor. Most Pirates were taking an interest in what was going on. Another voice piped up from the floor. "Yeah, let the little ones go with their master! I wouldn't want to be separated from my boy!" Eddie stamped a foot in determination.

Will's mouth fell open, and he whirled to look at Donkey. He couldn't believe that Eddie was backtalking Drell! Jack, he understood even if it did almost scare him to death, but _Donkey_! He quickly rushed to Donkey's side and stood before him, placing himself between Drell and Eddie.

Jack looked at Drell, his dark eyes shining. "A family should not be separated," he told Drell. "They are family. They should be allowed to be together."

"COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO COO!" The dragons' roars of agreement echoed in the court room. Elvira raised her head in a long howl. Even Cindy looked up at Drell as though she could eat him and roared her protest.

Across the room, Theodora screeched and jumped aside as Roxanne's jaguars roared in agreement. Theodora was even more surprised when Roxanne ceased translating to her and began to shout what sounded to her ears like fierce agreement with the other Pirates and protest to their captors in English. She wished she could understand what was going on but could only ask Roxanne to explain and then wait for that explanation when she realized that it was not readily forthcoming.

Despite being lost deep in his grief, Lorne heard his babies hollering. He understood what Blue was cooing about, and he got shakily to his feet. He was surprised to find Elvira and Cindy supporting him on either side. His green hands went to the top of their heads. "I MUST PROTEST! THE LITTLE ONES MUST GO WITH THEIR FAMILY!" His loss of Crys overwhelmed him, and he knew that, if not for their babies, he could not go on. He continued to call his protest out, hoping that Drell would hear him.

Faith had been almost too lost in her private thoughts to protest, but when Salem called out his agreement, she heard and answered. "DAMN STRAIGHT!" she bellowed, her shining black eyes blazing up at Drell and the rest of the Council.

Willow had finally reached Jack and now sat at his feet. His meowing protest was added to the rest. He did not want to be separated from his human, either! It was worth fighting for! He yowled even louder, trying to raise his tiny voice as high as the rest. Jack reached down, picked him up, and put him on his shoulder. He might be little, but he had a big mouth for a cat, and he had a heart and a spirit to match it.

Kit yowled from Paige's arms, and Paige shouted her agreement. Her exclamation brought her sisters shouting, as well, for though they had lost their mother and their grandmother, they still had their cat and Kit was truly a member of their family. Xena and Gabrielle felt an unknown loss in their hearts and loudly called out their protests, as well. Gabby's came out in prose that seemed familiar yet that she neither remembered writing nor reading. Caught between the Halliwells and the two women who were more sisters to him than any one else he'd ever known, Joxer found himself adding his voice to the protest. Realizing what he was doing, he paused, but two looks, one from his beautiful, beloved Phoebe and the other from Gabby's green eyes, set him back to yelling again. He tried to tell himself that he was Joxer the Mighty and, as such, could take anything the Council decided to throw at him, but that thought did not comfort him at all. Indeed he was only able to take a little comfort from even the fact that Xena was right there to protect him should it come to that.

Katrina looked at Celina and Tom. Then she looked toward Vang, who was already roaring, and wondered where Meesy was. If they had to lose either Meesy or Vang, it would rip the heart out of them. They were as much members of their little family as the two-leggers were. "IT'S NOT RIGHT, YOUR HONOR! THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO GO!" she spoke with an authoritative voice.

"YEAH!" Tom added, his bristling fur set on end with his anger. He moved closer in to Faith, Salem, and Katrina and prepared to launch into battle.

"AFFIRMATIVE!" Celina shouted. Her fur was also set on end, and she shared Katrina's thoughts and worries over Vang and Meesy.

Morph's nose shot out. It turned gray and grew long, and then he trumpeted. Sensing Celina's sadness over their missing King, Morph also grew out his ears. They fanned out and turned to the same gray leathery-feeling skin as his nose had. They wriggled as he continued to trumpet. Celina smiled sadly at him, but his heart sank when he failed to win her laughter.

In another part of the room, Cordelia's eyes were filled with worried tears as she wondered why she hadn't found Meesy yet and fretted over what had happened to him. "THEY'RE RIGHT!" she shouted. She could feel Angel looking at her ignored him and stepped out to where Trina had already stepped. "THEY'RE ALL RIGHT! YOU DO NOT SEPARATE A LITTLE ONE, WHETHER ANIMAL, CHILD, OR WHATEVER, FROM ITS FAMILY!" The words had no sooner left her mouth than she recalled her own father and how desperately she had ached to escape his clutches. "NOT FROM THIS KIND OF A FAMILY, AT LEAST!" she amended. She felt eyes on her from the Council and turned her head, her chin held proudly, to meet the gaze of Agraba's Royal Advisor and his frozen parrot. "NOT FROM A FAMILY WHOSE MEMBERS LOVE EACH OTHER, BUT THEN I SUPPOSE LOVE IS SOMETHING YOU PEOPLE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT!"

Angel's mouth fell open in shock as Cordelia's words seemed to echo around the room. He had been just about to protest when she, his quiet, little mouse, had unleashed her tiger and done the protesting for both of them. He now walked ahead until he stood back beside her and added his own voice to the rest of his crew mates. "LET THE LITTLE ONES STAY WITH THEIR FAMILY!" He did not know when family had come to be so important to him, but now he realized it was the most important thing in his life. Cordelia was his center and his most important family member, but he needed the others, as well, to complete him.

Trina glanced at Angel and his lady love, who had very much surprised her, and smiled. "EXACTLY!" She was surprised but glad to not hear her brother protesting her protest and was even gladder to sense Trent and Carlos coming up behind her and Carlos adding his protest in with theirs. Her mouth nearly dropped open when Trent added his voice to the others agreeing that family should not be separated. She felt his hand upon her shoulder and glanced at him.

Trent smiled sadly at Trina. "I may not agree with a lot of this, sis," he told her, "but family should never be separated." His sad smile turned up into a cautious grin. "Why do you think Carlos and I came after you?" Trina smiled at her brother, and Carlos grinned as he watched the siblings hug.

Zora, who had knelt beside Vang and was holding him close, shouted out again. "IF YOU THINK THIS IS RIGHT, YOU'RE EVEN MORE FUCKED IN THE HEAD THAN I THOUGHT!"

Connor's mouth fell open in shock. If Zora was brave enough to tell Drell and his court what she thought of them, he was brave enough to stand beside her. He shouted up at Drell, "NO FAMILY MEMBER IS TO BE LEFT BEHIND, WHETHER IT BE GREAT OR SMALL! I VOTE THEY GO!"

From what he thought was his hiding place, Smee could hear his son's voice in the mixture of the others' angry, protesting yells. Still trembling, he slowly lifted his head, moved his arms from before him, and peeked out. A fresh spring of tears broke open in his eyes as pride of his son swelled in his heart. "He -- He -- He -- He -- They're right!" he squeaked. Then, louder, he called again, "THEY'RE RIGHT!"

There was so much bedlam occurring in the court room that ear drums were threatening to shatter. Above the court room, there was just as much arguing going on. It was split down the middle as to whether or not Didymus and the Goblins should be included. What it finally came down to was that some one would have to stand for them.

Aslan looked at Drell. "WE SHALL ALLOW THEM TO GO, BUT SOME ONE MUST STAND FOR THEM."

Drell heard Aslan. He had been trying to calm the room but had had no success. The rapping of his gavel went unheard, and his shouts, yells, bellows, and even screams were ignored. Finally, he told Aslan. "IF YOU CAN GET THEIR ATTENTION, I WILL MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT."

One roar from Aslan was all it took. His deep, majestic voice bounced off of the walls and filled the room. It thundered demandedly out above all the other noise, drowning them out as though they were but buzzing bees and he a mighty Giant. Some mouths shut; others hung open in shock. All eyes turned to him. "Give Drell your attention," he commanded, and though he did not shout, his voice hung clearly in the room and reached all ears.

"THEY WILL BE ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY THEIR KING, BUT SOME ONE MUST STAND FOR THEM. ONE BEING FOR DIDYMUS, AND ONE FOR THE," he sniffed disdainfully, "GOBLINS. ALL OF YOU WISH TO BE HEARD, BUT WHICH ONE AMONGST YOU WILL ACTUALLY PUT YOUR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR SUCH LOWER BEINGS?"

A silence now prevailed in the room, even as Ace looked at Kat, the question plain in his face. "Shall we?" seemed to pour from his body, but he waited for his beloved to make the final decision.

Kat nodded, and her fireball vanished. "I'll stand fer 'em!"

"DIDYMUS OR THE GOBLINS?"

She had not realized that she would have to choose, but although surprised by the choice and the fact that she could not save all three, Kat was quick to make her decision. Animals always came first. "Didymus."

"And I will stand for Trely and Teak!" Ace's voice carried through the room strongly and calmly. He stood beside Kat, Clyde clinging to his leg.

It was then that the Vampire spoke again in his cool, calm voice. "There is something in his pocket."

"What?" Drell questioned, keeping his voice low enough that their prisoners would not know what was going on.

"There is something in Jareth's pocket," Lionel spoke before Dracula could, receiving a harsh glare from the infamous Count. "It was just wriggling, Sir."

Drell peered at the pocket but could see nothing moving for the object had heard Dracula's words and stilled his trembling immediately. "Are you sure?"

"Qui -- "

Again, Lionel cut off Dracula. "Absolutely, Sire."

"WHAT DO YOU HAVE THERE IN YOUR POCKET, JARETH?" Drell called to the Goblin King whose title now hung in the balance.

"Just an insignificant little worm," Jareth said very calmly, his eyes intent upon Drell's face, waiting to see which way this would play out. Worm had been quiet for so long that Jareth had forgotten he was in his pocket.

"WORMS HAVE NO IMPORTANCE," was Drell's first comment, but Dracula and Lionel both poised to argue the point.

"That worm is a key -- "

"The worm really is very important, if I understand the Labyrinth correctly, Sir," Lionel advised Drell in a hushed tone. "If not for his advisement, there would have been a number of twits who would have gone straight to the castle."

"So?" Drell hissed out of the corner of his mouth, waiting impatiently for his men to get to the point.

"Had that happened, Sir," Lionel pointed out as though it were a great secret and that was why Drell had not thought of it before, "the test would have ended all too soon."

"Yeah," Ursula threw in her agreement, "it wouldn't have been any fun."

"If you call watching annoying girls running about on so-called adventures fun," Jafar put in.

"I do," Dracula commented, a sinister grin replacing the frustrated line his mouth had became when Lionel had continued to interrupt him.

"Silence," Drell whispered, "and back to the business at hand!" Aloud, he questioned Jareth, "IS THIS THE WORM THAT MEETS THE GIRL AFTER THE DWARF? THE ONE WHO SETS HER ON THE RIGHT PATH?"

"Yes, Sir, but the Dwarf is dead, so a whole new theme will have to be derived. Therefore, the Worm is insignificant."

"DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TELL US HOW TO DO OUR JOBS, JARETH," Drell warned him angrily. Then his voice could be heard whispering to his Council, "Somebody make a note of that. We'll have to replace him."

"Noted, Sir," Lionel replied, beating Snape and Jafar, who had both already written it down though Lionel had not. "Perhaps one of Aslan's beasts?"

"Watch your tongue, Luther," Aslan warned, his tail slashing the air.

Cinderella would have placed a gloved hand on Aslan's paw if she had been able to reach to him. As it was, she simply smiled comfortingly at Aslan and reminded him, "They are but words, Aslan, and therefore, of no such importance."

"Especially," Gandalf added, wishing for a pipe, "when they come from one with such a little mind."

Lionel glared at the do-gooders and was about to defend himself when Drell spoke aloud again. "THE DWARF WILL SIMPLY BE REPLACED, WHICH MEANS THAT THE WORM IS OF IMPORTANCE. THE VENTURA FELLOW IS ALREADY STANDING FOR TWO OF THESE WRETCHED CREATURES. WHAT OF YOU, KATHLEEN O'HARA? WILL YOU ALLOW A WORM TO RISK YOUR LIFE AND HAPPINESS IN ADDITION TO THAT MANGY DOG?"

Kat, who had now come up behind Jareth's group, placed a stilling hand on Didymus' shoulder. "Aye," she quickly answered. A bit of inspiration struck her, and she smirked up at Drell as she added, "I'll keep the worm in line."

Ace felt a sudden urge to talk with his butt, but a quick glance at Kat told him he'd better not attempt it now. She seemed to be barely holding her anger in, and if he talked with his butt and griped the Council, there would be Hell to pay if they attacked him for it, so he just stood, grinning inanely at the Council.

"Thank you, Miss Kat," Jareth told Kathleen O'Hara. He gave her a slight smile that only she could see. He did not want the Council to think that the Worm meant anything, but deep down he knew that if they had taken Worm, he would have lost one of his very dearest and oldest friends. Worm might be little, but he had often been able to give Jareth good advice and he'd always listened when Jareth needed some one to talk to. Jareth turned back to look at the Council and waited for the next ball to fall, hoping, somehow, that it would not run over his family or himself.

Kat's gaze remained steadfast on Drell and the rest of the Council, but out of the corner of her mouth, she whispered at Jareth, "I did nae di it fer ye, Fancy Pants. I did it fer the animals."

Fancy Pants! Jareth's brain railed at him. Is that what she thinks of me? Why? She barely knows me, and yet she judges me! He had never thought of himself as such even though he liked to wear the latest fashions. He glanced at the man who accompanied Kat. Maybe that explains it? he thought, taking in Ace's wild clothes. She likes the wilder things of life. But it didn't matter as long as she stood for his friends.

"VERY WELL," Drell commented although the loud clearing of his throat let all know that this turn of events, like the others before it, did not set well with him at all. "ACE VENTURA AND KATHLEEN O'HARA, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TESTS WITH YOUR CHARGES," he did not name the beings for he did not think that they were important enough to be named, "TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE FIT TO BE IN THIS WORLD?"

Uh-oh, Ace thought, they've done it now! If they piss Kat off, they're gonna be in deep crap! He glanced sideways out the corner of his eye at Kat to see if she was fixing to attack. He did not want to miss a single second of helping her if she did.

Kat had rose her hand off of Didymus' shoulder and was a mere second away from forming a fireball when Captain kneaded his claws into her shoulder and purred an advisory warning and Didymus turned swiftly, bowed his head, and clasped her hand. "Didymus," the fiery redhead started to bark, "release me -- "

Sir Didymus raised his head, and his adoring eyes gazed up into Kat's blazing eyes. "Please, milady, if you truly wish to help us, you will retain your anger. These beings are not too be angered for they and they alone hold our fate in their hands."

Kat's top lower lip started to curl, but Didymus held tighter to her hand and Captain began purring deeply and rubbing against her neck. "Please, milady?" Didymus looked at her as though his heart was about to break.

Fuck! The exclamation exploded through Kat's mind as she raised her fierce gaze back to the Council. "Aye," she growled out.

"IS THAT IS A YES, KATHLEEN?" Drell started to tease her, and a whisper ran through the group. All those who knew Kat, or even knew of her, knew well of her temper and realized that she was seconds from losing it.

Aslan spoke up the fastest. "Yes, it is a yes, Drell, and you know that very well. Do not tease the lady. She," the lion warned, "is one of mine, and neither she nor I will tolerate unnecessary taunting." His tail cut through the air like a sword.

Drell swallowed but barked out a second later, "VENTURA?"

"Yes?" Ace drawled out. "What was the question?" Did he dare, he wonder, answer them with his butt who strained eagerly to talk? Let me out, it seemed to be telling him, as though it had a life all its own!

Trely turned to look at the odd man who had kindly and bravely came forward and volunteered to stand for Teak and herself. Had he changed his mind? Had he realized what kind of beings he was trying to protect, how ugly she was? Tears welled in her big eyes and her lower lip trembled, but she said not a word.

Drell impatiently rapped his gavel upon the desk. "DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TESTS WITH YOUR CHARGES TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE FIT TO BE IN THIS WORLD?"

Restraining himself mightily, Ace reached out and patted Trely gently upon the head. "Of course I do, Your Honor, and I will do my best to take care of them, too." The look of gratitude that Teak cast upon him made Ace feel that Teak was about to fall to his knees and grab his other leg. Clyde was still hanging tightly to Ace's right leg. He reached down and patted Clyde on the head reassuringly.

Trely beamed at Ace with as much gratitude in her eyes and on her little, green face as Teak was already looking at him with. Tears of sadness turned to tears of hope, and she grinned so hugely that the smile threatened to break her wrinkled face. "Oh, thank you, thank you, Master Ace!" she thrilled. "Oh, yes, Trely thank Ace!"

Delvira reached out and placed a stilling hand on Trely's thin shoulder. She was impressed by both Kat and Ace, but she knew that now was not a time for Goblins to give thanks. "Not now, Trely," she whispered, "or you, Teak. Soon, but not now."

Trely nodded eagerly. "Yes, Mistress," she whispered, but her eyes remained on Ace.

"ACE VENTURA AND KATHLEEN O'HARA, ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CRIMES THAT YOUR CHARGES MAY COMMIT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE AND TO SHARE EQUALLY IN WHATEVER PUNISHMENTS MAY BEFALL THEM?"

With Captain and Sir Didymus still working on keeping Kat from exploding, the Irish woman bit off her answer without meeting Drell's gaze. "Aye." She had a feeling that, if she were to lock eyes with the pompous Judge, she would surely blast his fat ass all the way to her homeland.

"Yes!" Ace told him, not taking his eyes off of Teak and Trely. "I am willing to stand by them and do everything I can to help them, and I know I have to pass tests. We'll pass them!" he told Drell in defiance.

Drell sniffed. "WE SHALL SEE. ACE VENTURA AND KATHLEEN O'HARA, YOU HEREBY AGREE TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CHARGES, THEIR INSTRUCTION, THEIR BEHAVIOR, AND THEIR CRIMES?"

"Aye, ye pomp-- " Kat's words were cut off by Captain's paw that swiftly covered her mouth.

"I do," Ace said very solemnly. He almost laughed when he saw Captain put his paw over Kat's mouth. He'd often thought about doing that in the past, but he knew he'd get a fireball for his efforts. Only Captain could get away with something like that!

"VERY WELL," Drell stated matter-of-factly. "ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT ACE VENTURA AND KATHLEEN O'HARA AS THE GUARDIANS OF THESE . . . THINGS, GIVEN THAT JARETH DOES NOT WIND UP BACK IN THE LABYRINTH -- not like that's likely to happen -- SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY." When the "aye"s had outweighed the "nay"s, Drell stated, "ACE VENTURA AND KATHLEEN O'HARA, YOU HAVE BEEN APPROVED AS THESE THINGS' GUARDIANS IF THEY DO NOT RETURN TO THE LABYRINTH. NOW, TO RETURN TO OUR PREVIOUS BUSINESS, ALL THOSE WHO APPROVE OF WARREN WOLFSON STANDING FOR JARETH, SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY." Again, the "aye"s outweighed the "nay"s, and Drell, tired of losing out on the fun he'd planned to have, swiftly moved on. He quickly stated that Wolf had been approved as the one to stand for Jareth, and then, peering down his nose at Severus, he droned out, "NEXT."

Wolf breathed a sigh of relief, glad that this part was over and that he had been accepted. He knew that the future did not look rosy, but at least this far, he was in the game with Jareth. He hoped that this would help them to win.

Jareth did not show any outward sign, although inwardly he was very glad that Wolf had chosen to stand by him. He thought perhaps the two of them might stand a chance against the test.

Delvira exchanged a concerned look with Elvira and gave Jareth's hand a reassuring squeeze. The first part of this battle of words was to their favor, but all they could do about the rest for now was to wait and see how the others fared. She hoped some one would stand for the rest of Salem's people as bravely as Wolf had stood for Jareth and was eternally thankful especially to Wolf but also to Kat and Ace. She had sensed her husband's confusion over Kat, but she had already witnessed the woman's interactions with animals and believed she had her well-read.

Elvira's unbeating heart was still lodged in her throat. She'd never been much of a fighter and was still learning how, but she knew that they had a war on their hands with the Council and that anything might yet befall Jareth and, worse yet, her beloved Wolf. She shared Delvira's gaze, her black eyes reflecting the same emotions as those in her twin's. Only time would tell how badly this all would work out, and until then, all they could do was handle each dish of crap they were served with extreme care and as best as they could.

"NEXT, WE THE WITCHES' COUNCIL ON HIGH," Snape called out, using a term that he knew Drell would like, "DO HEREBY CALL FORWARD EMMA GRACE FROST, BETTER KNOWN AS THE WHITE QUEEN."

In the throng of prisoners, Emma paused, her blonde head lifting in curiosity at the name. Her face drew down in worry, and her blue eyes darkened. She looked to the strange man who claimed to be her husband. "That's me, isn't it?"

"Aye, me love, it is," Sean told her. He knew his name would be coming up soon. He reached out and caressed her face gently with his hand. "I can nae stand fer ye. I wish I could, but they'll be callin' me soon too. Good luck, me love." He leaned forward and gently kissed her cheek. "Remember this. Nae matter what happens, I will always love ye."

Emma was already pulling away, but Sean still managed to land his kiss on her cheek. She straightened even more stiffly and turned from him just as his last words caught her ears. She shook her head slightly. He truly believed that he was her husband, but yet what kind of husband did not stand by his wife, even if she was a criminal? The two bizarre women had stood with their husbands, Jareth and Warren Wolfson, just a moment before, but here this man, her self-proclaimed husband, stood, trying to false reassure her while remaining where he was. She pushed past the others, but her determined words drifted back to Sean. "If I am a criminal, then let whatever punishment my actions have earned me be cast upon me."

At those words, Sean blanched an even paler shade of white. Oh me Gods, Em, I hope ye did nae jest curse yeself! he thought. She had misunderstood what he had been trying to tell her. He had merely been trying to say that he could not stand for her. He didn't know why his words always came out all wrong. He had every intention of standing behind Emma, keeping her company even though he could not stand for her. His throat choked up on him as he watched her walk regally to stand before the dais. He hoped that she would hold up as he knew the charges were great. After all, she had been the second highest ranking female, and the list would be extremely heavy. He knew that Snape was getting a kick out of reading the list. After all, the man did love attention, and he was certainly the center of it as he read the list of crimes. He came to stand directly behind Em, so close that he could reach out and touch her, but did not try to do so. She still didn't believe he was her husband, and until she did, he would not make any bold advances toward her.

" . . . AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ARSON, BURGLARY, COERCION, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DRUG TRAFFICKING, EMBEZZLEMENT, EXTORTION, FORGERY . . . "

Already, Snape was calling out the list of charges, and Emma's mind whirled at the long list of crimes, many of which she had no idea what they even meant. How could she have been such a wicked person, such an evil criminal? She glanced down at the lack of clothes she wore and realized for the second time that her appearance certainly did fit the part.

" . . . GRAND LARCENY, PERJURY, PORNOGRAPHY, PROSTITUTION, PROPERTY CRIME, PSYCHOACTIVITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL INTOXICATION, SEXUAL INNUENDO, TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING, ESPIONAGE, POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SELL, ARMED ASSAULT, TAX EVASION, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SLAVERY . . . "

Emma's head hung, and she wondered when the man would reach the end of the list of the horrid things she had done. She looked at her hands, wondering how she could be capable of such hideous acts. No one would stand for her, but that was for the best. She deserved no less than the greatest punishment they had to give.

At last, Snape reached the end of the list. He drew a deep breath and took a sip from his drink as Drell questioned the crowd, "WHO WILL STAND FOR THE WHITE QUEEN?"

Rachel's green eyes flew to Kitty. She could sense her love stiffening and knew instantly what she was thinking. "Don't," Ray pleaded with her.

"Ray, I -- "

"You can't be serious!" Rachel exclaimed. "I know she's pretty, Kitty, but you're not gay! You don't -- "

"She's Sean's wife, Rachel!" Shadowcat hotly informed her. "Somebody's got to stand for her!"

The two women looked at each other in surprise when they heard another voice speak up . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

**The Council's Court Room**

Kurt had not reached Kitty and Rachel when Emma had been called. He had paused where he was at and listened intently, waiting for the opportunity to stand up for his best friend's, Sean's, wife. He and Sean had become very close in the short time they had known each other. Kurt had been planning to stand up for Sean but suddenly felt compelled to stand up for Emma instead. Her list of sins was great, and he thought she might stand a better chance of succeeding if a Priest stood up for her.

He walked up to stand beside Sean and gripped his friend's shoulder. Then he moved up to stand beside Emma. He hoped that she would not mind that a blue male had stood up for her. She had not panicked when he had met her the night before, and he was proud of the way she was standing there, taking the charges. "I stand for her, Your Honor." He looked at Drell expectantly.

Emma's head snapped up at the unexpected voice. She turned and was surprised to see both Sean and a stranger standing next to her. She spoke just as Drell burst out with laughter. "Who are you? Are you quite certain you wish to stand for me? Why would you do such a thing?"

Kurt looked at her intently. What was wrong with her? Had he not made any kind of an impression on her the night before? He waved his hand slowly in front of her eyes to make sure she had not been blinded by the light. "It's me, Emma, Kurt."

Emma's heart pounded in her chest, and she took a faltering step backwards as she eyed the strange being in front of her. His voice sounded masculine but was also odd, though nowhere near as unusual as his blue fur, three-fingered hands, and yellow eyes. She did not realize that, as she backed up, her body instinctively angled closer to Sean. This being was so strange to her, but yet who was she to think that his appearance might not be normal? After all, she'd barely glimpsed the others in the room except for Sean and the Council. Perhaps it was they whose appearances were abnormal. "K-Kurt?" she stammered out his name. "I-I do not remember a Kurt." She did not speak aloud that she merely recalled her own name because she had been told it.

Meanwhile, Drell's laughter seemed to be spreading like a contagious disease through the Council. "YOU MEAN TO SAY," Drell roared, "THAT A _PRIEST_ STANDS FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST WHORES EVER!"

Emma glanced up at them, her face burning and turning red with heat. "What is a Priest?" she questioned, not daring to ask about the term that the fat man used to describe her.

Kurt did not know what was wrong with Emma, but he knew something had to have damaged her mind. Kurt turned to look upward at Drell again, and in a loud, clear voice, he said so that all could hear, "Mein Lord did just zat, and it is an honor for me to do ze same." He looked back at Emma and smiled reassuringly.

Emma tried to smile, but her lips quivered. In addition to the heat she had felt flare within her own body at the fat man's words and the Council's laughter, she could also have sworn she'd felt heat raising off of Sean but did not know how that could be possible except through a trick of her mind. She tried to ignore the man who claimed to be her husband and instead returned Kurt's look. "Are you certain this is what you want?" she questioned him. He had spoken of his Lord. Was he a slave, and where was this Lord he spoke of? He couldn't be a slave, though, she remembered, for they had called him a Priest and she didn't think the two had anything to do with each other. She could be wrong, though.

Sean reached forward and placed his hand gently on Emma's left shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze. He would always be thankful to Kurt for standing for his beloved Em, but he had no way of telling Kurt what was wrong with Emma at the time. Drell's laughter had made Sean want to place his hands around Drell's neck and squeeze him until his eyes bugged out and his head popped off. When Kurt made his statement about his Lord having stood for one of the biggest whores, Sean remembered that bit of lore.

How strange circumstances are! he thought. They're identical except Kurt thinks o' himself as a Demon an' Jesus stood fer Mary Magdalene! He would have to talk to Kurt about it later. Why had Kurt stopped serving Jesus and started serving Aphrodite? He was a bit confused over that just as he had been confused about his own religious state. He was glad that he was again one of Aphrodite's followers now.

Kurt waited patiently for Drell even though his anger grew the more the laughter cut through the air. How dare this man hold himself as a Judge when he could not control his own self! It was a mockery of a court, but there was no way they could get all of their people out safely! He closed his eyes and prayed that the laughter would go away. He had heard too much in his own time and did not want the dolt laughing at Emma but felt himself powerless to stop him.

* * *

Rachel had witnessed the surprise in Kitty's eyes when Kurt had spoken up for Emma, and she saw the fury and doubt waging war in her beautiful, brown eyes now. A quick scan of the other telepath's completely unprotected mind told Rachel why Emma was acting so differently from the night before, and as she digested what she learned, she continued to watch Kitty's eyes as Shadowcat waged a silent war inside herself. Ray knew Kitty unlike any other person and knew her exact conflict. Withdrawing from Emma's mind, the redhead decided to make short work of the matter. Kitty wanted desperately to put the Council in their place, but she feared bringing their wrath down upon them.

Ray cleared her throat loudly and started to move away from Kitty's side. The second she started moving, Kitty reached out and grasped her wrist. The women's eyes met, and Ray shook her head. "You may not be able to say it, but I can and will." She shook herself free of Kitty and walked out a pace from the gathering of Kitty's new-found family.

"Maybe she is a whore," she called out, her blazing eyes daringly defying the Council, "but she doesn't remember it. She doesn't remember anything of what she's being held accountable for, and that just goes to show what bigoted idiots you lot are. You're holding her responsible for crimes she doesn't even remember committing!"

"Rachel!" Shadowcat hissed.

Kitty, hush. I know what I'm doing.

No, you don't! You've never come up against these beings before!

Maybe not, but I still know bigoted losers when I see them. "You say she's a villain, a whore." She shrugged. "It's true, but so what? Look at how you act, squabbling amongst yourselves, half of you laughing your asses off and the rest being all embarrassed and ashamed over what's going on! So the woman sold herself to get what she needed? So _what_! Do you have any idea how many women sell themselves off to get what they need or even just want? Emma just happened to make money while doing it, that's all!"

"SILENCE, CHILD!" Drell commanded.

"One," Ray snapped, "I'm not a child. Two, sure, I'll shut up. As long as you bigots stop laughing your asses off and get back to the _business_ at hand. This has got to be the stupidest trial ever, and trust me -- I should know -- I've been to plenty of stupid trials!"

"ARE YOU CALLING US STUPID!"

"Not you." Rachel felt Kitty's strong, stilling hand upon her shoulder but continued nonetheless. "Just the way you're acting. You want respect? Give us something to respect. Act like you should."

By this time, Drell's face had grown as red and round as a radish. He opened his mouth to explode, but all he could get out past his fury was high-pitched squeaks that no one could understand. "The girl has a point," Gandalf stated calmly, to which many on his side of the room nodded in agreement. "While it may be humorous to see your lot carry on this way, you set a bad example for the whole Council. This is not a time for laughter, Drell, or snide remarks. We are here to get a job done, and I expect to see it done properly."

"Hear, hear!" Merlin whole-heartedly agreed. "Now let us get back to the trial at hand, as Miss Summers has already so eloquently suggested."

Drell hated listening to others and far more despised obeying them, but even he knew better than to disobey Merlin, who was now glowering quite pointedly at him. He gulped and swallowed hard several times before turning to glower back down upon Kurt, Emma, and Sean. "VERY WELL." The clearing of his throat echoed in the nervous room. "KURT WAGNER, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH EMMA GRACE CASSIDY IN ORDER TO PROVE HER INNOCENCE?"

Emma could not believe her ears. "I thought I was Emma Frost!" she whispered, looking back at Sean with clear puzzlement in her blue eyes.

"Ye are, darlin', but ye're married tae me. Me last name's Cassidy. Ye kept yer Frost as ye thought it was a more proper name fer diin' the work ye had tae di, but yer true name is Emma Grace Cassidy."

"Ja, Your Honor, I realize zat I am to be responsible for Emma Grace Cassidy. I am glad to do it." He cast another shy smile at Em. Still, he wondered why she would not know what she had done as Rachel had brought out. What could have happened to her wonderful mind? He prayed it was not lasting.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kitty was shaking her head at Rachel, but she was also grinning. Do you have any idea how big a fit your father would have just had if he could have been here to see you in action, Ray!

Rachel grinned. Let him.

Thank you.

Rachel nodded and hugged Kitty. Then she stepped back, a familiar pain welling in her heart. She knew Kitty's next words before she ever thought them.

I have to go to him. Maybe he is crazy. Maybe he did call poor 'Heed a flying rat. But we can get all that worked out later and he needs me right now.

Rachel nodded again, glad that she didn't have to speak aloud, and let Kitty walk past her and on toward Kurt. She turned and walked back to stand silently beside Wolverine, her heart hurting the whole while. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked down to see a short but pretty brunette.

"Are you all right?" At the redhead's insistence that she was fine, Phoebe dropped her hand, but she knew better. She couldn't quite place it, but she knew that something was definitely bothering the other woman.

Admiration shone from Wolverine's eyes. He was proud of Ray for telling the Council what was what. He would tell her that later. He was extremely relieved that she was nothing at all like her milk-sop of a father.

Jack looked at Wolverine, and it was almost as though he could read his father's thoughts. He had to agree: Ray was one Hell of a woman and as crazy as Faith! He was proud she had stood up to the Council. He had been thinking about it but thought that he'd better save it for later as things might would get more dire and he knew Drell was already conjuring up a fireball with his name on it.

* * *

Drell continued to sneer down upon Kurt as Shadowcat snuck up behind the small group, her lithe, silent movements not going unnoticed. "YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON THE WHITE QUEEN WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"Ja, I do," Kurt bravely told him. "I am ready for it! Bring it on!" His pointed tail swished, cutting through the air like a sword. "Mein Lord vill see us victorious!"

Drell's top lip curled back in distaste, and he looked with even more disgust and hatred down upon the blue Demon. "YOUR LORD HAS NO POWER HERE."

"Mein Lord has power everywhere!" Kurt told him, staring him dead in the eye. "He's been here from ze beginning!"

A crisp laugh barked forward from Drell. "THINK WHAT YOU WISH, DEMON."

"He's not a Demon." The words came from directly behind Kurt. "He's a mutant. Same as I."

Kurt did not twitch even though he recognized his beloved's voice. Had she forgiven him? Was she going to stand beside him now? He hoped so. He glanced to the side then, and out the corner of his eye, he saw Kitty in all her fiery glory and knew he'd better put a hand out and stop her at once before Drell exploded her. "Mein Lebchien?" he whispered and reached his hand back to her.

Kitty took Kurt's hand without hesitation, and her five fingers entwined with his three. She glanced at him out of the corner of one eye but kept the rest of her gaze firmly fixated on the Council, especially Drell. She smiled at Kurt and gently squeezed his hand.

"They are mutants," another voice spoke up, "and are of my people. I will not tolerate you calling him a Demon, Drell."

"YOU HAVE NO SAY IN THIS, XAVIER. YOU DO NOT EVEN GET TO VOTE. YOU KNOW YOU LOST THAT CHANCE WHEN YOU BEDDED MAGNETO."

Jack looked around quickly for the Wizard. So no wonder Xavier had not condemned him for they were both of the same persuasion! He wondered how much else they might have in common and filed it in his memory to broach the subject with him later. Maybe he would have some tips that he could use to surprise and excite Will? He was always up for more learning!

Wolverine turned to look at Xavier. How would the Wizard take to what Drell had just pronounced? Would he take it quietly, or would he throw some of his own fireballs back at Drell? Did he know something on Drell that he could use against him? He hoped so.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Donkey said with a grin. "This is getting curiouser and curiouser! I wonder," he said to himself, "how many of these guys are after guys! It's not as though there aren't a lot of women around, but just how many are of that persuasion?" He hoped it was not catching.

"Donkey, sh!" Will whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "Remember your manners! You know, your name, Eddie, was the first real man I met with true manners."

Donkey cast an eyeball around, hunting for Jack, and just as quickly told Will, "Jack ain't got none! I don't hear you getting on to him! Wolverine don't got none! Why should I have any?"

"As I told you, _Eddie_," Will suggested heavily in a low voice, "your namesake was a man of fine manners. Now, if you do not approve of your namesake, I can always _attempt_ to think of another name . . . "

"No, I like my name! I'm just saying ain't nobody else got any manners! Why should I be the only one with manners!"

It was then that Donkey felt a gentle hand on his neck. Elizabeth had left Autolycus' side when she'd overheard Donkey carrying on about those like Will, Jack, and, evidently, Xavier, and she knew exactly what was bothering Will. She knelt down beside Donkey, cupped her hands around one of his long ears, and whispered to him, "Do you not understand, Eddie? You're embarrassing Will! You know he's not comfortable with his sexuality yet!"

"Neither am I," Donkey whispered back. "What can I do with Elvira? I thought about it. I was going to ask Will, but you can tell me. Can't you?" he questioned, ignoring the heat rising in Elizabeth's cheeks. He cocked one of his big eyes right on Elizabeth. "And I'm not trying to upset Will. I'm just trying to figure out if it's catching. I'm very comfortable with it. In fact, I'm proud my boy got with the Captain finally. But I can't do nothing with mine!"

Elizabeth stroked Donkey's neck. "Tell you what, Eddie," she told him, "when we get out of this mess, I'll fix you up with some one who should be able to answer all your questions about that."

"You will?" he asked, bug-eyed. "Who's that smart? Lex?"

"Toly."

"Toly knows about that? Hmm!" Donkey grew deep in thought and very, very quiet.

"He definitely does," Elizabeth told him, "and I'll make sure he answers all of your questions once we get out of here, but for now, try to settle down and be quiet, okay?"

Donkey did not answer her as his mind began to go around and around. Toly knew something besides stealing! This should be interesting! He couldn't wait to see what Toly came up with!

Elizabeth continued to pet Donkey's neck. "And it's not contagious, Eddie. Only diseases are contagious, and it's not a disease, so you have nothing to worry about. Now," she pressed a finger to her nose and looked at him with urgency, "sh!" Then she looked at Will, who looked perhaps more embarrassed than she'd ever seen him before, and winked.

"Thank you," Will mouthed at the realization that she had succeeded in calming Donkey's mouth. Elizabeth nodded and smiled reassuringly at the man she'd come to call "brother".

With Donkey silenced, Will looked back at Jack and again slid closer to his love. He knew he was planning on standing up for one of Salem's people; he just hoped he could figure out which one and shout out that he would stand for him or her before Jack did.

* * *

Charles knew he had to take the blow that Drell dealt him by revealing his secret life for all to know. He remained silent where he stood in the shadows that he had come to take more and more solace in ever since Magnus had first been cursed. He wished that he could stand up for Magnus, or at the very least, their relationship but knew that he must hold his tongue. He was barely managing to contain himself when he felt a change in the air. Ororo, you must not!

But, Charles -- !

**_No!_** I know your intentions are good, my child, but it will only make matters worse. Please, for me, contain yourself. Let them ridicule me if they must, but do not add to the dispute. His answer came in Ororo's silence.

"WHAT IS IT, CHARLES?" Drell grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "YOU'RE BALD WITH NOTHING TO SAY?" The Spellmens bubbled over with laughter. Peter crowed, doubled over with laughter, and grabbed his toes through his pointed boots. Lionel guffawed quickly and quietly, and Jafar snickered behind his cape. Then two protests came at once -- Aslan's roar bounced off all four walls, the floor, and the invisible roof, and thunder rumbled through the room.

Charles closed his eyes at the sound of thunder, and for once, his eloquency failed him. Ororo, I asked you --

It was not me, Charles! Ororo was about to speak further when she was interrupted by a loud, cavernous, and thoroughly pissed voice. "ENOUGH! WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE, DRELL, AND UNLESS YOU WISH THIS TRIAL TO BE HALTED AND A NEW MEETING TO BE HELD TO REPLACE THE JUDGE, YOU WILL APOLOGIZE TO XAVIER AND HENCEFORTH CEASE ALL NAME-CALLING AND FOOLISHERY."

Jack grinned. He had been just about to invoke Drell's anger again over the comment that he had shot at Xavier. He had taken it personally as a dart against any whose sexual persuasions were different from others. Donkey's mild questions had not bothered him, but Drell, on the other hand . . . His mouth had been open, but before the words had come out, thunder had filled the room, and he looked at his mother questioningly. Then, before she could tell him it wasn't her, Merlin's voice had boomed out. Jack had not been surprised at Merlin's persuasion as he had once seen him in a tavern with several handsome young males and thought his intentions might lay that way. He closed his mouth just as quickly and waited to see what would happen next.

All eyes were upon Drell and Merlin when Gandalf added his two cents in, "I second that motion." His eyes darted over Charles and each of those in the crowd who he knew shared his good friend's sexuality. Then, as Aslan voiced his agreement, Gandalf stared Drell in the eye, conjured a red rose out of thin air, and tossed the rose to Merlin's dai. Merlin picked up the rose, sniffed it, and then smiled and winked at Gandalf.

Xena had not missed a thing but had not opened her mouth to protest as of yet. She was extremely surprised to see a red rose suddenly appear out of nowhere, fly straight through the air, and end up on Merlin's dai. So another of our kind? she thought. Xena's smile only increased when Merlin kissed the rose, his eyes still gazing into Gandalf's.

Cole had heard rumors in the past of Gandalf and his persuasions. He was not surprised to see that Merlin had, some time in the past, been his beloved. Could they be together now? He looked at Piper shyly, wondering if she had seen the exchange, and knew from her deep blush that she had.

Autolycus had shaken his head but had not said anything as he'd heard Elizabeth assuring Donkey that he would have the answers. Toly had very few answers and was extremely full of questions, but the sight before his startled eyes did not need any answers. He only wondered if, when Wizards came, they increased the power because there was two of them.

"I, too, agree," Cinderella spoke firmly. "I may be married to Charming, but that is not to say that I have not wondered about other paths before. After all," she yawned pointedly and loudly, "he is quite the bore. Nonetheless, sexual orientation has nothing to do with the actual person, and your comments tonight, Drell, regarding Charles, Wagner, and several others are completely out-of-place and tasteless to boot."

Wolf had to hide his smile behind his hand. He knew Queen Cindy would put them in place! He had heard how boring King Charming was on several separate occasions, and Queen Cindy was not the only one who denounced him. Although he had also heard that the man was quite the looker, perhaps he was not of the persuasion that would make Cindy happy in the bedroom? That would explain so much! He wondered if the thought might have occurred to the Queen.

Shock was growing with each new voice that added their comments against Drell, but no greater shock could Drell have received than when his own allies began to speak out. "I believe they may well have a point on this one," Dracula commented. "After all, I've enjoyed the blood and bodies of both sexes."

Ursula grinned. "And I always enjoy playing with a mermaid."

Maleficent drailed her long, sharp fingernails across her dai in thought. "And I did have other reasons for toying with that Princess." Her eyes flashed. "How dare her mother marry a man when I wanted her!"

The crowd was once more raising to a myriad of angry voices that sounded like the loud buzzing of bees. Severus looked down from his dai at Albus, and he knew that he was a lost. He had to take control. He lifted his head and cleared his throat loudly but got no reaction. Not even Albus looked at him for he was far too distracted with Minerva, who hovered against his side like a frightened mouse. A wry grin toyed with Severus' mouth as he silently mused that it was too bad he couldn't holler "boo" at her and scare her permanently away from Albus.

Remembering that he had to calm the heated argument that was quickly boiling into a fight, Severus shouted out in an enchanted voice that boomed as loudly as Aslan's roar. "ENOUGH!"

He heard Zelda and Hilda Spellman whispering together. "Not The Voice!" They'd always hated it when the men in their own family had used that voice, and it still made them quake in their shoes.

"You dare speak up, Severus?" Lionel questioned, looking at Snape as though he were a bug underneath his all-important scrutiny. "Tell us. Are you with the rest of these fools?"

Snape's voice carried through the room. "THEY ARE NOT FOOLS, LUTHOR. DRELL AND YOURSELF ARE THE FOOLS HERE." Lex grinned from ear to ear. "THIS IS NEITHER THE TIME NOR THE PLACE TO CONDUCT A DEBATE OVER SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS AND PREJUDICES. WE ARE HERE TO HOLD A TRIAL OVER SOME OF THE GREATEST CRIMINALS OF ALL TIME. OF ALL TIMES, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD ACT OUR BEST, YET WHAT ARE WE DOING BUT SHOWING THE MORTALS, THE CRIMINALS, AND THE REST WHAT FOOLS RESIDE AMONGST US AND HOW GREATLY WE SQUABBLE AMONGST OURSELVES? WE MUST SHOW A UNITED FRONT, NOT DIVIDED, IF WE ARE TO CONTINUE TO APPEAR AS WE SHOULD AND RECEIVE THE RESPECT WE DEMAND."

His gaze moved from Drell and Lionel to look at those whose voices had risen in protest of Drell. "I NO MORE LIKE THE THINGS I HAVE HEARD DRELL SPOUT THIS NIGHT THAN THE REST OF YOU, BUT IF WE ARE TO CONTINUE WITH TRIAL, SHOW AN UNITED FRONT, AND NOT ALLOW THEM THE CHANCE OF ESCAPE OR OF MAKING A MOCKERY OF US -- NOT THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN DOING THAT OURSELVES --, WE MUST ALLOW HIM TO REMAIN THE JUDGE FOR NOW. I SUGGEST THAT WE ALLOW HIM TO ESCAPE, FOR THE TIME BEING ALONE, WITH A MERE APOLOGY. WE FINISH THIS TRIAL, AND THEN . . . _THEN_, MY ESTEEMED FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HOLD DRELL IN CONSIDERATION AND CONTEMPT FOR ALL THAT HIS JADED TONGUE HAS SPOKE TONIGHT. WE DO NOT NEED ONE OF HIS PREJUDICED STANDING SERVING AS THE JUDGE, BUT WE MUST NOT CONTINUE TO BE WITNESSED FIGHTING AMONGST OURSELVES."

When a murmuring of agreement had passed through the Council, Snape turned his gaze back to Drell. "Drell, do you not have something to say, particularly to Charles?"

Drell glared at him until Merlin, Gandalf, Aslan, and Cinderella all began loudly clearing their voices. "Ah, yes, well, I suppose I do . . . " He glanced at Charles out of the corner of his left eye. "I'msorry."

"What was that?" Cinderella prompted.

"I'm sorry."

"I do not believe he heard you," Gandalf commented.

"Louder," came Merlin's demand.

"I AM SORRY. NEXT QUESTION. IF THE WHITE QUEEN IS FORCED TO BELIEVE THAT SHE HAS LOST ALL THOSE SHE LOVES AND IS PERMANENTLY separateD FROM THEM, YOU, KURT WAGNER, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL BE CONDEMNDED TO BELIEVING THAT YOU HAVE LOST ALL THOSE YOU LOVE TO DEATH AND WILL BE PERMANENTLY separateD FROM THEM, AS WELL?"

Up until this point, Kitty had not taken Emma's punishment into full consideration, but now she realized that Kurt's standing for Emma might cause them to lose each other. She looked away from Kurt, finding herself gazing at Sean with tears in her eyes. How had he stood this? How had he been able to stand losing Emma? She had lost two husbands already and had been terrified of her feelings for Kurt because she feared losing him, too. Now that fear might well become a reality before the next sunrise. Her heart felt dead inside, but she knew it had to be done . . .

Rachel, standing between Wolverine and Phoebe, felt Kitty's pain. "Damn! Not that!" she whispered. She wanted Kitty to be happy even if it meant that she would never love her and would always love a man instead and that that lowly, undeserving man would receive all the kisses, hugs, and other affection that she longed for so desperately.

Gabrielle's breath caught sharply. Like her lover, the bard had been glad to see the exchange between Merlin and Gandalf and the rest of the Council standing up for those who, like Xena and herself, loved members of their own gender, but the thought of what Kurt and Kitty now faced filled her heart with sadness for the couple. They had to be able to do something to help them, but what? She looked to Xena for advice, hoping that she would have a plan as she almost always did, but knowing, in her heart of hearts, that she did not.

"¡Eso no es justo!" Roxanne hissed. At Theodora's questioning look, she explained, "¡Se aman, y separate ellos por siempre como castigo!"

"¡Cómo pueden hacer tal cosa!"

Roxanne shook her head. "Yo no saber."

"¿Qué podemos hacer para ayudar?" Theodora asked, but Roxanne did not have that answer either. Sasha reached out to Yasmine and lovingly licked her partner; she would allow no power from Heaven, Earth, or Hell to separate them!

Kurt turned to look at Kitty before he answered but found her looking away and realized that her hand had gone limp inside of his. She was the only memory that he would care if he lost, but he felt that he had already lost her. He turned back to Drell. "I understand zat. I do not have too many memories I vant to hold on to any way." He thought that maybe Kitty would be better off with Ray. Ray does love her, too. He waited for Drell's next words. A sadness filled his soul at the thought of losing Kitty. Would that sadness leave, or would it stay and would he not know why it was there?

The moment Kurt spoke, accepting the possible punishment and continuing to stand for Emma, Kitty released a strangled gasp that sounded like a breaking heart, and her teary gaze snapped back to Kurt. She saw his sad face through her tear-filled gaze and slowly nodded. This had to be done. She knew that. If Sean and Emma were to stand any chance of happiness, they would have to risk losing theirs. She pressed her lips together, silencing the protests that shouted within her heart and forcing herself to listen to her Captain's brain instead, and squeezed Kurt's hand.

Emma gasped as memories flooded her mind. She had tried so many times to . . . to what! Then she saw it. She saw Sean dying over and over again in her mind and nearly fell to her knees. Strong arms quickly caught her, and she clung unknowingly to Sean's chest. He was her husband or, at the very least, he was one she had cared very, very, _very_ deeply for! When she had lost him, she had tried to take her own life . . . too many times to count, . . . and all . . . all had been completely unsuccessful. Tears ran down her face, and Dumbledore, where he stood next to Minerva, slowly and sadly nodded as he opened his eyes and saw Emma in her current position. Forgive me, he thought, but you had to know.

She will be all right, Albus, Charles' voice assured him, if only we can win this trial.

"No," the whisper passed unbidden from Ray's lips. Damn you, you blue bastard! Don't stand for her! If Kitty wants some one to stand for her, let me do it! Then she can be happy with you! But it was too late for Kurt had already spoken.

Piper turned her face into Cole's chest and shakingly breathed in the delicious scent of his skin. She could not do what Kurt was doing now. She never would have been able to bare risking losing Cole to save an almost complete stranger, and she wondered if she could have even done it to save her sisters. A tear ran down her cheek and splashed onto Cole's bare skin, and she kissed the moisture where it landed before forcing herself to look back upon the proceedings.

Cole held Piper tenderly yet firmly. He didn't think he could do what Kurt was doing. He didn't know how Kurt was doing it, because he knew how Kurt felt about Kitty. He leaned down and kissed Piper on the head and prayed to the Goddess, Have pity upon them, Oh Blessed Lady. Give them strength to endure and not forget. Cole did not even realize he had tears running down his face.

This latest turn of events was too much for Will. He had to have Jack in his arms, even if this wasn't the place or the time, as he'd heard various ones that night continually mentioning. He stepped up behind Jack and took him into his arms even as Elizabeth pressed her face against Donkey's neck and Phoebe sought Joxer's arms. Paige wrapped her arms around Carl, and Ororo ached for a chance to speak to Logan and tell him how much she loved him. She, too, prayed for Kurt and Kitty.

Through the room, two men dared to touch the slender shoulders of the women they loved. Brendan moved up behind Prue without a sound and gently touched her shoulder while Carlos dared to touch Trina's. Throughout the room, lovers moved together, and prayers winged their way upward for the couple who were risking losing so much to try to help their friends.

Prue felt the tender touch of Brendan and almost jumped out of her skin. Was there hope after all? Did she dare hope that he loved her even a little? She wanted to turn and grab his hand, but knew to do so would make him run. Instead, her hand slowly slipped up and touched his, and when he did not yank it away, she grasped his tenderly, expecting him to run at any moment.

Kurt knew that Ray was a telepath and could easily read his mind. He thought to get a message to her before he got mind-swiped, figuring that was the next thing Drell would do to him. I know your love for Katzchen is strong. You'll be good for her. Zake care of her for me.

The emotions in the room were hot and heavy, and Jack did not think he could stand one more moment of the tension. He felt himself ready to explode, and then he felt Will's hand. He leaned back against his love, enjoying his embrace. He didn't care if it was a court room or not. He needed that brief touch of his beloved to reassure him of Will's love. He could not bare the thought of not being able to remember Will. How could Kurt do it? And then he realized that only Kurt could do it. He knew only a small part of what Kurt had been through, and he also knew that the only bright spot in his life had been Kitty. He prayed to Ditey, Don't let them take his memories! Help him to overcome any obstacle and win through for his love!

Joxer was startled at the intensity of the hug that Phoebe was bestowing upon him. His love for her knew no bounds, and yet he did not know how to show her how much he loved her. He knew he was a clumsy oaf and that not many women would put up with him. He was thankful that his Phoebe did love him. Thank Gods it is not my memories in danger here, but please help them not to lose theirs! He could imagine nothing more awful than not being able to remember his family, his friends, but most especially the woman he was now clinging desperately to. He held her just as tightly as she was holding him and nuzzled her neck.

Logan looked at 'Ro. He had not known her very long, but he had fallen for her like a flaming star. He was thankful that he was not going to lose his memories of her. Though they had been brief, they had been the most wonderful things that had ever happened to him. He hoped that Kurt could endure and hoped that he would have some strong power that would keep his memories in tact. He wished that he could leap across the small space that surrounded them and hold Ororo tightly, but he felt as though there was some kind of barrier between the two of them and so he just looked at her and tried to convey his love through his eyes.

Something about this scene seemed familiar to Xena. She could not remember why. Things had happened quickly the night before and that day, as well, and something was tickling at the back of her mind, but she couldn't lay a finger on it. It had something to do with memories, and though she strained, she could not find what was troubling her soul. She reached out and pulled Gabrielle close to her, hugging her to her heart and praying to Ditey to help Kurt not lose his memories.

Gabrielle tightly hugged Xena in return as her prayers joined the rest of the ones winging their way upward. As the couples in the room sought solace in each other, only one man's touch did not receive the response he ached for. "Andrew," Trina breathed, recalling the previous night's events through the tears in her eyes and heart. "Andrew . . . I . . . I . . . " Her body was weak, but Trent stood beside her, holding her up and making her strong.

"We know, sis," he whispered to her even as Carlos withdrew his hand with a look of pain.

Cordelia barely heard the others for her own thoughts as she cuddled with Angel. Her hazel eyes glanced at the new Pirates, and she knew that whoever Andrew was, he must have meant a great deal to Trina. She also saw the hurt on Carlos' face, and her heart hurt for him, as well, but nowhere near as much as it did for Kurt and Kitty.

Some memories Angel could do without. It seemed he had been alive forever, but there were definitely some memories he did not want to give up. His memories of loving Cordelia were the most important memories to him. How could Kurt hold up to it? Maybe that's why he's a Priest and I'm not? Angel thought. He smelled Cordelia's hair more deeply as he held his beloved close. He prayed for strength for Kurt, because he knew he'd need it. The others he had not paid too much attention to. He knew that the trials were some thing that could be overcome, but to lose one's memory could never be overcome. It would leave one a shell of a person, not caring whether they lived or died. He held Cordelia tenderly.

Lorne clung to his memories of Crys and vowed that they would make a million more. He gathered the young ones closer and held them tenderly, knowing that their memories of their mother were just as important as his were. "Soon," he promised them, "we'll get her back."

**To Be Continued . . . **


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

**The Council's Court Room**

Emma looked up with tears in her eyes and was both surprised and yet not surprised to see that it was Sean who had caught her. She had not realized before what an enchanting green his eyes were, and she reached up to his handsome face with a trembling hand. "I . . . I remember . . . " she whispered. "Not . . . not everything . . . but I remember the trial and I remember the punishment . . . punishments." She looked over at Kurt, and her words carried through the room.

"You will not lose your memories, Kurt. You will keep your memories should the same punishments befall you. You must think about this carefully, if not rethink your standing entirely. It is not that I do not appreciate what you are attempting to do for me, for us, but I would not wish these punishments upon any other living thing."

"They let me keep my memories." Her voice grew louder and stronger as the whispers in the room grew. "They let me keep my memories so that I would remember those I had loved and lost, but they convinced me . . . They showed me how they were killed, tortured to death, and convinced me that their deaths were my fault . . . I tried forever to kill myself," she shook her head, "but I could find no release in death for death was not open to me. They wanted me to live forever with the greatest heartache imaginable." She continued to cling to Sean.

Sean held Emma tightly yet gently. She remembered him, and his heart sang in joy. They were together, and Ditey had promised that they would remain together! He had every confidence that they would pass the trials. "I knae they were awful fer ye, me darlin'. Mine were jest as bad. I remembered every single moment we had tagether, but they convinced me that ye were dead. I, too, tried tae die, tried tae climb inside the whiskey bottle, darlin', but even that would nae keep yer memories away." He kissed her hair, her eyes, her face, anywhere he could reach. "Nae one knew that ye were alive, because nae one else remembered our punishments. They were each lost in their own misery an' had nae time fer me an' mine."

Kurt looked at Emma and Sean. "I am villing to zake zis chance for both of you, mein freund. I feel zat ve can overcome. Mein Lord has promised zat it vill not be easy, but it is doable if I have faith and give it mein best. I have every intention of doing zat for I do not vish to lose mein memories of Katzchen," he looked at Kitty now, "for zey are ze most vonderful zings zat ever happened to me! But together, ve can overcome!"

"HOW TOUCHING," Drell sneered as Emma relished Sean's kisses and returned them and Kitty shared Kurt's gaze, their eyes speaking volumes more than their mouths ever could. "ON WITH THE TRIAL. IF THE WHITE QUEEN IS ONCE MORE CONDEMNED TO BE HELD PRISONER BY THOSE WHO MAY DO WHATEVER THEY WISH TO HER, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL BE HELD BY THE SAME BEINGS AND SHARE IN HER EACH AND EVERY MOMENT OF MISERY, AGONY, AND PUNISHMENT?"

Kitty's gaze went pass Kurt for a moment as she looked at Emma and thought what more that might mean for Kurt. When Kurt had said that their memories they shared were the most wonderful things that had ever happened to him, her heart had felt alive again, but now she could feel the icy fingers of death trying to set into it again. She looked back to Kurt, took a breath, and then rose her chin. She felt Ray's worry but beat the redhead to the punch this time as she looked up into Drell's eyes. "Did you know?" Her voice was flat and quiet, but those who knew Shadowcat could sense the fury laying just beneath the surface.

"DID WE KNOW WHAT, SHADOWCAT?"

"Did you know that they would beat her, rape her?"

Negative answers rose from half the Council, but the others called out affirmations. "Did. You. Know!" Shadowcat demanded, glaring up at Drell. "Answer the question!"

"WE . . . SOME OF US SUSPECTED THAT THEY MIGHT."

Rachel had heard Kurt's request in her mind, but she hadn't answered him right away. She'd waited to see what would happen, but now she finally answered him. You just don't get it, do you, Priest? Kitty doesn't love me. I love her, but she's as straight as you are blue. She's got absolutely no interest in me that way. Let me stand for Emma. Then you two can be together, and you won't be facing all this. At least, if I'm raped again by my own gender, it's the right sexual orientation. She tried and failed to make light of the situation.

I can not stand down, Kurt thought to Ray. I have been raped in the past, as well. It is not a happy situation. But I have to do zis! I am ze only one vho can do it and succeed! Ve have to vin Emma's freedom! Don't you zink she's suffered enough? Katzchen loves both of us. Right now, she zinks I'm crazy, and so do you. But I have faith in mein Lord, and He told me zat Katzchen and I vill be together one day. I believe Him. I trust Him.

Logan had been watching Kitty the entire time, and he knew she was not too far from the attack. As soon as his daughter moved on the Council, he was going to be right beside her. No one was going to mess with his daughter!

Jack could feel the tension growing in his father, and he knew that attack was not too far off. He was ready to sound the charge at any moment and let the chips fall where they might lay. All eyes now remained on Kitty.

"¡Los bastardos! ¡Las perras! ¡La espuma humilde, pathetic! ¡Los funcionaré a través!"

"No!" Theodora stepped into Roxanne's path just before the other Latina could charge. "¡Piense de lo que usted está diciendo! ¡Si usted ataca estos seres, usted no estará parada una ocasión de la supervivencia y ni uno ni otro quiere sus animales domésticos! ¡Si no para se, entonces para ellos, no ataque!"

Roxanne looked at Sasha and Yasmine and found them ready to spring into action. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Usted ser derecho," she consented. "Yo deber . . . " She shook her head. "Yo poder no."

"¿Cuál era él dijo?" Theo asked, and as Roxanne began to explain what had just been revealed, the fury grew in Shadowcat and in Faith. Faith did not attack for Dawson's and Salem's sakes, though every inch of her screamed to.

Shadowcat, on the other hand, was itching for her blade so badly that her free hand had dropped to where the hilt of her sword should have been. Her brown eyes glowered up at Drell with pure hatred shining therein, and Lockheed had already flown off of her shoulder and was awaiting her sign to attack. "How could you have condemned Emma to such a fate!"

It was Drell's next words that stopped Kitty before Rachel could. "WE MERELY GAVE HER A TASTE OF HER OWN MEDICINE. SHE HAD SOLD COUNTLESS HUMANS INTO THE SEX TRADE."

Emma's head hung as Kitty looked at her. "I fear it to be true."

You are crazy, Wagner, Rachel thought sadly and angrily to Kurt, and Kitty does deserve better. She shut her mind off to his thoughts, and the process was like the slamming of a door that echoed through his brain. She glanced at Wolverine. "She's going to need us," she whispered. "Even if she doesn't attack, she's going to need us. If you're worthy of her, unlike that blue Demon, you'll be there for her."

"WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER, WAGNER?" Drell demanded.

"I vill stand vith Emma, and ja, I understand ze punishment! I have no choice but to accept it."

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"Ja." If Kitty was dead to him, he might as well be dead, he figured, but Herc had promised him that they would be together and he had nothing stronger than his faith. He did believe.

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT THE WHITE QUEEN COMMITS, YOU WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"Ja," Kurt said in a louder, clear voice. He continued to pray, Deliver me from evil, Oh Lord! Show me ze vay!

"WHITE QUEEN, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME KURT WAGNER COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Emma could not even begin to think of any crime that a Priest as devoted to his faith as Kurt was might commit, but she knew the answer that she must give if Kurt would continue to be allowed to stand for her. Though she did not wish what had happened to her to befall him, or any one else for that matter, she would not turn him away when he so clearly believed so strongly that he must stand for her. "I do," she spoke quietly, not daring to look back up at first but then raising her eyes again to Sean's. If today was the last day they spent together, she wanted to spend as much of it as possible in his arms and gazing into the eyes of the man she now remembered she loved with all her heart and soul. "I love you!" she whispered to him.

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, KURT WAGNER, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS THE WHITE QUEEN'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL SHE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HER?"

"Ja," Kurt told him. "I never zought to be Immortal, but if it zakes it, I vill."

"I love ye, me darlin'!" he whispered to her as his lips touched hers gently. If this was the last day that they could be together, Sean would not let Em go but would hold on to her for as long as he could. He hoped this time that they would not be separated so that they might be able to help each other overcome their punishments and win. He could not stand the thought that he might not remember that she was alive again. He did not want to crawl back into his bottle, but he would if he lost his Em. She was his will to live.

"ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT KURT WAGNER AS THE GUARDIAN OF EMMA GRACE CASSIDY, ALIAS THE WHITE QUEEN, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." When the "aye"s had once more drowned out the "nay"s, Drell barked out, "NEXT."

"NEXT," Snape called out, "WE CALL CAPTAIN JAMES T. HOOK."

Smee shot up from behind Lorne and the three animals who he cuddled as though they were children like a scared mouse looking for a new hiding hole. His tear-filled eyes flew to James as he cried out, "No!" His rolls of fat shook, and his shirt popped and rolled up to his chin. He snatched it down as he looked fearfully at James.

"Damn," Zora muttered, her hands pausing in their strokes on Vang's and the cubs' fur coats and her eyes flying to Connor. She had known the time would come; she just hadn't expected Hook to be next. Her hands had frozen where they had been, but Vang used his head to bump her hand up and throw it to Connor's arm. She glanced at him in surprise but looked at Connor with sympathy.

"My turn!" James said in a jubilant voice, twisting the handlebars of his mustache. "This should be interesting!" He looked at his boys and wriggled his eyebrows. "Maybe Pan will now get his just desserts?"

Connor moved forward to stand beside his father as did Frederic on the other side. They didn't know if Smee would come forward or not, but they had to be with their father as long as they could. How could he take it so bravely? Connor wondered and then he remembered how his father told them that when you're the most afraid, act your bravest and the people will believe you. He knew his father had to be terrified.

Frederic stepped forward to stand beside his father, not knowing who would stand for his father as both he and Connor were not allowed. Who would stand for James, and who would stand for his other father when his time came?

Zora stood, leaving the cubs in Vang's care, and walking to stand beside Connor. As soon as his daughter's back was turned, Vang nudged Sebastian and Wolfie in to taking up his place beside the cubs and watching over them and sprinted off. Zora did not speak as she came to stand beside Connor, but she reached her hand out to his and gingerly touched his fingers. She met his sideways glance and opened her hand to take his.

Connor gratefully took Zora's hand. He wondered what her intentions were. Had she come to stand for his father? Whatever punishment was meted to James, which Gods forbid was Neverland, he and Frederic would have to go with their fathers. It was a beautiful, wonderful world there -- one unlike any other -- and he would love to show Zora his secret spots, but he did not want her to feel that she had to commit. He looked questioningly at her.

Frederic glanced over and smiled at her. He knew he was going to like having her for a sister. He looked at his father, who was still bravely standing as the charges were being read and staring defiantly at Drell.

" . . . AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ARSON, BURGLARY, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, EMBEZZLEMENT, TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, HARRASSMENT, BREAKING AND ENTERING, GRAND LARCENY, LOITERING, PERJURY, PROPERTY CRIME, PSYCHOACTIVITY . . . " Each word pounded in Vang's mind as he ran through the room. He didn't even look at Katrina and Tom when he passed them but kept running until he pounced in front of Smee. Smee squeaked, but Vang stood his ground and continued to look menacing.

" . . . PUBLIC INTOXICATION, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, ROBBERY, SHOPLIFTING, ASSAULT, VANDALISM . . . "

"You will go to him."

" . . . MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING . . . "

"But -- But -- !"

"There is no time for 'but's now, Samuel Smee. You will either go to him, or I, as Lady Bast for my witness, will put these . . . " He unsheathed his claws directly behind Lorne, not realizing that the lioness was watching his every move. " . . . directly in your rear end!"

As Smee shrieked, James could not continue standing, facing forward. He turned quickly to see what had upset his love. Seeing nothing more menacing than Vang, he turned his attention back to Drell.

" . . . ESPIONAGE, TAX EVASION, ARMED ASSAULT, THEFT . . . "

"But -- But -- But I -- ! But he doesn't want me!"

"He does, and we have no time to argue the point." Vang took a swipe at Smee's rear, and Smee hollered, grabbed his rear, and ran. Vang gave chase, directing him, though Smee did not realize it, directly towards James. When Smee began to come up behind James, Sebastian jumped upwards and landed on the short man's shoulder. He placed his claw over Smee's mouth, and Vang came to rest beside Zora, acting as though he were completely innocent and had done nothing but watch over the cubs. Zora looked down at him with a raised eyebrow but said nothing.

" . . . RESISTING ARREST, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SLAVERY . . . "

James had to smile. Vang had come to his rescue and brought Smee to him! He would thank him later, if he had the opportunity. He did not turn around and acknowledge Smee though he wanted to. He kept staring at Drell, hating him more each second, and his hatred for the boi standing by Drell growing even more intrepid.

"WHO WILL STAND FOR JAMES T. HOOK?" Drell bellowed out.

With one hand gently squeezing Connor's, Zora dropped her other hand to rest on Vang's shoulders. She was willing to stand for James, but she knew that if she stood for James, Smee would be lost. Surely some one else might be willing to stand for James?

Delvira started to speak but found a pale hand much like her own covering her mouth. She looked questioningly at her twin who was violently shaking her head. "You can't!" Elvira told her. "If you stand for James, you risk being thrown to Neverland, and if you're trapped in Neverland, you can't be in the Labyrinth!"

Delvira looked sadly at her sister and then, beyond her, to James, who she knew must be as afraid as her beloved Jareth had been before Wolf had offered to stand for him. She sighed against Elvira's hand but nodded her consent. Elvira dropped her hand, and Delvira admitted, her eyes never leaving James, "You're right, sis, but Gods, some one has to help him!"

"I knew it!" Peter Pan laughed shrilly. "You are a codfish, Hook, and nobody's going to stand for a codfish!" A light twinkled loudly in his face, and Pan swiped it away. "Not now, Tink! He's going to get what he deserves!"

James took a deep breath. He heard Elvira's words to Delvira, and he looked at her. "You can not stand for me, dear lady, though I thank you for the thought. You must go where your husband is. He will need you. I'm afraid I've been a bad, bad boy," James said as he turned around to look back at Pan, "but nowhere near the codfish that you would have me be! Look in the mirror, Pan, if you wish to see a codfish!" He waved his hook at Pan and his voice rang out strong and determined even as he quaked in his boots because no one had spoken up for him. If no one did speak for him, would he be allowed to carry out his own punishment, his own trials, or would they simply throw him back into Neverland and never give him a chance?

Connor wished once again that he could stand for his father. They were not bloodkin. Perhaps? But before he could do anything, Frederic stepped in front of James. "I will stand for him! His blood does not run through my veins!" He looked at Drell, praying that it would work.

Protest rang out from the Council immediately. "HIS BLOOD MAY NOT RUN THROUGH YOUR VEINS, BUT YOU STILL CALL HIM FATHER. STEP BACK, BOY, OR BE REMOVED FROM THE COURT ROOM."

"I tried, Dad! I'm sorry!" Frederic told his father. "I am proud to call him Father!" Frederic returned to Drell. "He has been a great father!"

Drell dismissed Frederic with as much regard as he would have granted a fly. With a sinister grin on his face, he called out, "JAMES HOOK'S FATE GOING ONCE . . . "

James gulped rather loudly. "Will I be allowed to handle my own test on my own?" James asked hopefully.

Zora growled under her breath, and Vang also growled. Yet neither spoke for James.

"NO," Drell answered instantly. "IF YOU HAVE NOT GARNERED ENOUGH RESPECT FOR SOME ONE TO STAND FOR YOU, THEN YOU ARE NOT READY TO TRY AGAIN."

Delvira's mouth flew open, but Elvira's hand again silenced her. "They might twist your words!" she explained, knowing that Delvira had only planned to state that she would have stood for James if not for the risk it would involve and not daring to let her say even that much. At Delvira's look of frustrated comprehension, Elvira removed her hand once more.

James hung his head. "It is not fair!" he said. "The boi is the only reason I left Neverland! I would have stayed there! I like it there, but he has made it a living Hell! He did not do what you told him to do! He had his own plans for making my life a living Hell! It all started the day he cut my hand off and fed it to the croc!"

"PETER PAN IS NOT ON TRIAL HERE, HOOK. YOU ARE, AND YOU WILL NOT DETER THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION!"

"But it is true!" Tiger Lily protested. "My people had a treaty with the Pirates until Peter Pan intervened! He had his Lost Boys steal from us and framed the Pirates for the thefts!"

"What? I did not know about that!" James declared. "You know I never would have stolen from you, Tiger Lily! We did have a treaty! I did not know why you broke it! I figured you fell under Pan's spell like every other woman who gets near him."

"I did at one time, but my Father had our Shaman remove the spell. Then," Tiger Lily looked at the sparkling light that now came to rest on her up-turned palm, "I realized the true love of my life and had her spell removed, as well." She looked up at Drell. "Peter Pan is not the sun, the moon, nor the stars! He is filth! He lies, cheats, thieves, kidnaps, rapes -- "

"PAN WILL BE DISCUSSED LATER," Drell stated, "AND THAT IS FINAL. JAMES HOOK'S FATE GOING TWICE . . . "

"Thank you for telling me that, Tiger Lily! I never hated you or your people!" He squeezed both of his boys' hands, and he turned to look at Smee, expecting the third time to go. Sebastian jumped down as James turned and was just in time to keep from being seen. "It's been a good life, Smee. Take care of our boys."

This must be the moment, Jack thought, and he started forward only to have the sound of No! reverberate in his head. Damn, Xavier! he thought. I must save him! He can not die! He was growing angrier by the moment.

James reached out, caressed Smee's cheek, leaned forward, and kissed his love good-bye before Drell could announce the third time and vanquish him. He had not really expected any one to stand for him, but oh, how he hated to go!

Smee had been about to speak when James had covered his mouth with his own. Though he wanted nothing more than to kiss his love and have him return his kiss and love, Smee could not allow James to kiss him now! "Can I stand for him!" he blurted out, pushing James off with surprising strength. "LET ME, PLEASE!" he begged, tears running down his round face. "WE ARE NOT MARRIED! HE DOES NOT EVEN LOVE ME!"

"EVEN IF YOU TWO HAVE BROKEN UP," Drell stated, "WHICH WE FIND VERY UNLIKELY, YOU STILL MAY NOT STAND FOR HIM FOR YOU SHALL HAVE YOUR OWN TRIALS."

"I DON'T WANT MY OWN TRIALS!" Smee wailed. "I WANT HIS!"

James had hoped that some one would have pity on him. Now it was about to be the third time, and yet no one had spoken for him! He knew he was not long for this world! "You are wrong, Smee," he told him, "I have always loved you and I will always love you!" He kissed him one last time as he turned to look back at Drell. "Get it over with!"

Connor glanced at both Vang and Zora. They had moved up to join the family, but why had they not spoken? He could not believe that they were too afraid of what punishment might befall them!

Frederic wished that he had some one who loved him who might stand for his father. He looked around and spotted Ray. She had been so eager moments before to stand up for Emma. Why would she not stand up for his father? His eyes pleaded with her.

Rachel felt eyes upon her and glared at the boy, who was stupid enough to get horny over her body when his father's life was on the line. Drell raised his gavel. "JAMES HOOK'S FATE GOING . . . "

"I'LL STAND FOR HIM!" Zora screamed, speaking just in time and simultaneously with Vang's roar. The two looked at each other in surprise, and Drell dropped the gavel with a disgusted sigh.

James felt his legs go even weaker, and he thought he might faint. You must act brave to be brave, he reminded himself and stood straighter on shaky legs. He breathed a sigh of relief. Thank you, Goddess, God, or Whoever's listening Up There! I'm not ready to die!

Connor looked at Zora and smiled. "Thank you," he mouthed and then the thought came to him as to why she had been so reluctant to jump for James as he noticed that his love's eyes kept flicking back to Smee. She thought no one would stand for his other father! He almost choked at that thought. But maybe Vang, since he had offered to stand for James, would stand for his other father? He looked hopefully at Vang.

James needed to sit down. It had been a close call, and Pan had almost won! He stared at the impudent boi with eyes of hatred, hoping that somehow, he would get paid back for his treachery!

Frederic looked at Ray and thought to her, I was not flirting, but I was asking you to save my Father. The way she was looking at him, it was as though he had tried to give her an extremely hot brick for a hot potato.

Zora smiled sadly at Connor and nodded. He had read her right at last, but she no longer feared for Smee. He had some one to stand for him now, she realized, for Vang had not spoken until the last second for the same reason she had not.

Vang returned Connor's look and nodded. "We will stand by you and your family."

Sebastian scuttled up to Vang. "I tried, mon!" he told Vang.

Zora looked questioningly down at the crab. "Tried what, Sebastian?"

Sebastian grinned innocently. "Tried to work up de courage to stand?"

"Right," she told him, not believing his excuse for a second, and looked up as Drell called out her full name. She would have liked to have informed him that only her fathers got away with calling her Seraphina, but she knew she had to hold her tongue and play the part just the same as most of the others had been doing. She looked into Connor's eyes and touched both his shoulders. She kissed his cheek gently and walked away, moving from between Connor and Vang to go and stand beside James. One look at Hook as Drell rattled off the first question told Zora that James was weak in the knees, but she knew he couldn't sit down. She met the man's gaze but didn't speak. She fell in to place beside him, took his arm, and draped it over his shoulder. Her hand ran down his arm, and she moved to grasp his hand but touched cold metal instead. Her heart stopped for a moment as she realized she had his hook, but then she held it as though it were his hand and tried to act normal though she was far more careful with it.

James smiled gratefully at her. She was one Hell of a woman and would make Connor a fine wife. He definitely approved! His dazed mind also told him that she had only been hesitating, hoping that some one else would stand for him so that she could stand for Smee. He gave her another grateful smile, and if it had not been for her supporting him, he would have sank to his knees.

Zora nodded at Hook's look of gratitude and then turned her attention upon Drell. "I do," she answered obediently when he had finished asking her if she realized and accepted that she would share the same sentence that was bestowed upon James.

"IF JAMES HOOK IS AGAIN STRANDED IN NEVERLAND AND FORCED TO STAY THERE, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL BE HELD FOREVER IN NEVERLAND?"

"I do."

"IF HE IS FORCED TO AGAIN PLAY THE FOUL ENEMY OF PETER PAN, YOU, TOO, WILL PLAY THE PART OF PAN'S NEMESIS?"

"I do." Zora couldn't help the wicked grin that played over her face and lit her wild, green eyes. "But I've gotta say Pan's way fouler. I can smell him all the way from down here!"

When Peter opened his mouth to protest, Aslan roared at him, "SILENCE, BOY! YOUR TRIAL WILL FOLLOW THIS AND THEN," his eyes turned to Drell, "SHALL COME DRELL'S TURN." Both Peter Pan and Drell gulped and turned blanch, but Drell quickly hurried on.

James laughed until he coughed. He almost choked. "At last, Pan will get what's coming to him!" But Drell? The Mighty Drell would be tried? Now, _that_ was definitely a turn-about, and more than James could have ever hoped for!

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

Zora didn't miss a beat. "I do."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT JAMES T. HOOK COMMITS, YOU WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Zora grinned, and her eyes drifted from Drell to Connor to James and then back to Drell. "I do."

"JAMES T. HOOK, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME SERAPHINA ZORA SHERIDAN COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"Yes, sir, I do!" What can we get into? James wondered. All of us together should be able to do something to really give them a headache!

Zora's grin grew as she realized that Connor's father was thinking the same thing she had been. Sharing his devilish grin, she winked.

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, SERAPHINA ZORA SHERIDAN, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS JAMES T. HOOK'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

Zora smirked boldly up at the Council. "Bring it on!" At Aslan's warning cough, she rephrased herself, "I do."

James grinned at Drell. Make something of that now, will ya? he thought.

Connor hugged Zora and his father. Everything was going to be all right!

"ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT SERAPHINA ZORA SHERIDAN AS THE GUARDIAN OF JAMES T. HOOK, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." When the "aye"s won out, Frederic let out an excited whoop and joined in the hug.

Smee, standing alone, sniffled and looked down. He jumped back when he found himself looking directly down into Vang's face. "You are not going anywhere, Smee," Vang informed him. "You are going to stand there, and I am going to stand for you."

"NEXT," Drell crisply barked out.

"NEXT THE COUNCIL CALLS SEAN CASSIDY ALIAS BANSHEE."

Sean cast a baleful eye upon Drell. "Yes, Yer Honor. Present an' accounted fer," he said with a sly grin. He wondered who would stand for him but was extremely relieved to know that Kurt was standing for Em. That was one worry he didn't have to ponder over. He didn't have many friends, but those that he did have he knew he could truly count upon. He drew his courage to him like a mantle. Standing tall and proud, he waited to hear the charges.

"SEAN CASSIDY, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF . . . "

A hand clasped Sean's shoulder from behind, and a woman's voice spoke strongly. "I will stand for him."

Drell glared at Shadowcat. "YOU SPEAK OUT OF TURN, PRYDE. THE QUESTION HAS NOT BEEN ASKED YET."

Captain Pryde met the Wizard's gaze evenly. "Read the charges," she told him. "I'll still stand for him."

"Thank ye, Capt'n," Sean told Kitty. His heart breathed a sigh of relief.

Shadowcat patted Sean's shoulder gruffly but reassuringly. Though mere moments before, she had been holding hands with Kurt and gazing into his eyes like the girl in love she was, her demeanor had switched to one of strictly business the very second Sean's name had been called. Now, she listened impatiently to Snape read the charges and ignored Rachel fussing in her mind.

" . . . AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, ARSON, BURGLARY, COERCION, FRAUD, TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, EXTORTION, GRAND LARCENY, PERJURY, PUBLIC INTOXICATION . . . "

Ray, Pryde spoke at last, I'm not Kitty right now. I'm Shadowcat, and Sean's one of my men. You could have stood for him, but it's not your place. Besides, I wouldn't want you standing for him any more than you want me to stand for him. Now hush up! We'll talk later.

" . . . RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, ROBBERY, SHOPLIFTING, VANDALISM, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, ESCAPE, AIDED ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING, ESPIONAGE, PSYCHOACTIVITY . . . "

Despite herself, Shadowcat couldn't help glancing at Sean in curiosity at the latest charge. She knew that he was not a telepath, so how could he be accused of psychoactivity? Then she recalled that he had been a Wizard and realized, for the first time, that there was no telling what all he might have been able to do at one time. She wondered if there was any hope of getting them their full powers back but knew that their freedom was most important. The discussion of powers might come after they'd won their freedom, but for now, it wasn't important.

" . . . POSSESSION, TAX EVASION, ARMED ASSAULT, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, RESISTING ARREST . . . "

Shadowcat had just begun to wonder if the list of charges would ever come to an end when the question she was waiting for came. Severus Snape looked right at the young Pirate Captain as he droned out, "WHO WILL STAND FOR SEAN CASSIDY?"

"I will."

"KATHERYNE PRYDE, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH SEAN CASSIDY IN ORDER TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

Kitty stood straight behind Sean and at her fullest height. She kept her chin raised high and her hard, unblinking eyes directly upon Drell. Her mouth was a tight line of anger out of which her strong, determined words broke from. "I do."

"KATHERYNE PRYDE, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON SEAN CASSIDY WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"I do."

"IF SEAN CASSIDY IS FORCED TO BELIEVE THAT HE HAS LOST ALL THOSE HE LOVES AND IS PERMANENTLY separated FROM THEM, YOU, KATHERYNE PRYDE, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL BE CONDEMNED TO BELIEVING THAT YOU HAVE LOST ALL THOSE YOU LOVE TO DEATH AND WILL BE PERMENANTLY separated FROM THEM, AS WELL?"

For a moment, Kitty's Captain's mask fell. She hesitated as her eyes dropped from Drell and she looked at Kurt instead. She cast a look over her shoulder, her eyes seeking out first her father and then Rachel. Let me, Ray pleaded in her head again. Please, Kitty, let me do this for you. She started to come forward, but Kitty shook her head at her.

No. I have to do this. Images of her mother, her previous husbands, and all the others she'd lost flashed through her mind. Her heart grieved. She thought of her adopted parents and wondered, far from the first time, if she'd ever see them again. Finally, she looked at Kurt again, her lips resetting in their thin line of angry determination, and nodded. Her chin jutted back up, and she once more met Drell's gaze. "I do."

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"I do."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME SEAN CASSIDY COMMITS, YOU WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Kitty's hand returned to Sean's shoulder, but her eyes never left Drell nor so much as blinked. "I do."

"SEAN CASSIDY, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT KATHERYNE PRYDE, ALIAS SHADOWCAT, COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?" Despite the warm, reassuring grasp of Kitty's hand upon his shoulder, Sean felt a chill rushing through his body. He wanted to scream out that he did not want to lose Emma or his friends again. He couldn't bare the thought that Kitty should also suffer in this. He wanted to tell them that there was no way that the girl would stand for that, but he knew that, without her, he would be lost. He had no choice, but she did. "Kitty, are ye sure, gel?" he asked, giving her one last chance to back out.

Shadowcat looked into Sean's eyes, and there was no trace of Kitty Pryde in her unwavering gaze. "I am. Now answer the man's question, Cassidy." She knew Sean was trying to protect her from feeling the same heartache and anguish he had been cursed with. She appreciated that inwardly but knew she could not afford to let her true emotions show outwardly. She grasped his shoulder a little tighter and offered him a small smile. She nodded.

Sean returned her smile before turning back to face Drell. "I di accept it." He bowed his head and closed his eyes. He knew the next question would be about Immortality. He would not want to spend eternity without his Em, and he did not want to wish it upon Kitty, but he was extremely thankful that she had stood for him.

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, KATHERYNE PRYDE, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS SEAN CASSIDY'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

"I do."

"ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT KATHERYNE PRYDE, ALIAS SHADOWCAT, AS SEAN CASSIDY'S GUARDIAN, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." when they "aye"s had once more proclaimed themselves over the "nay"s, Drell rapped his gavel against his desk and barked out, "NEXT."

Shadowcat squeezed Sean's shoulder. She smiled thinly, but her hardened expression did not lift. "First round's ours," she whispered. Her man and his wife were spoken for. She hoped some one would stand for those who remained, but if they didn't, they didn't. The two who mattered were claimed.

Sean reached up and placed his hand over Kitty's and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank ye, me Capt'n," he told her, pride in his voice. He had no idea what he had done to deserve such a fine Captain or why his Captain even cared for him so much, but he was glad she did. He knew it would be a rough road to travel down but now felt that he had a chance of one day being free to walk in the sunshine with Emma on his arm and no threat of the Council.

Kitty smiled at Sean's reaction, and her eyes moved to Kurt. Worry creased her brow and plagued her eyes for a moment. How could she be with Kurt now? Now after he'd flipped out, talking to some invisible God, and dared to call her beloved dragon, Lockheed, who was still perched faithfully upon her shoulder and now bent to rub his forehead against her cheek, a flying rat? Now when she was closer to possibly losing him than perhaps ever before? Kitty rubbed her cheek against 'Heed, and her free hand reached up to gently scratch him. He purred and cooed, but as Snape's voice snapped through the air again, Kitty remembered her place and straightened. All signs of emotion left her at once, and she stood as straight, still, and tall as a soldier in the Queen's guard. Sensing the change in his mistress, Lockheed also straightened and sat up at attention. Their eyes turned together toward the Council, and they waited to see who would be next.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

**The Council's Court Room**

"NEXT, THE COUNCIL CALLS SAMUEL SMEE."

A squeal erupted from Smee, and he hit the floor, his small, fat body quivering like jelly. Vang had jumped out of his way, giving him just enough room to do what he knew he was about to, and now stood calmly over him. He raised his head, and his green eyes turned solemnly toward the Council. He muttered to Smee out of the side of his mouth, "Get up. Stand like a man." His tail slashed impatiently through the air as Snape began reading the list of charges.

James looked sadly at his poor, pathetic love. He figured he would have fainted and was glad that he had only fell to the floor. He had truly expected Smee to faint as he knew that the terror of what was taking place was more than his poor love could stand. He felt Connor's hand reach out, touch him gently, and squeeze his shoulder. "He'll be okay," Connor told him very softly. He couldn't wait to find out what his other father had done. He had not been surprised to hear what James had done, because he figured that James had a magnificent record that was a mile long. He knew that his father, James, had believed very strongly in Salem, strong enough, in fact, that he had given up his rich man's background and become a Pirate all in the name of The Cause.

" . . . TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, FRAUD, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, EXTORTION, FORGERY . . . "

Frederic wished that he could go to his father, Smee, and help him to stand. He did not want the others to think less of him because he was so weak, and yet Frederic knew that, if it had been his turn, it might be him on the floor instead of Smee. He admired those who had gone before for most of them had not shown fear but had stood bravely, listening to their charges. He slid back to stand beside Smee. Let them strike me with lightning, he thought. I will stand beside my father.

He reached out with very gentle hands and pulled his father to his feet. Once he had regained his feet, Frederic slipped his arm around him. He hoped some one would stand for his dad, because even though he was weak, Frederic loved him dearly. Frederic knew that James would never need him as much as Smee had always needed him. Frederic glanced over at Vang and knew that Vang was about to stand for his dad. He whispered to Smee, "It'll be okay, Dad. I'm here for you, and Vang will help you."

" . . . GRAFFITI, BREAKING AND ENTERING, LOITERING, PERJURY, PROPERTY CRIME, GRAND LARCENY . . . "

Had he not been Connor's father, Zora might well have laughed at the reaction that Smee had given when his name was called, but as it was, no trace of humor had entered her face or her eyes. She felt for the poor man and had been about to move toward him when Frederic had instead. She'd watched and had been ready to assist Connor's brother, but he hadn't needed her help. His strength surprised her, and she gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. She still wasn't sure what the Sorceresses had done to clean out Frederic's "duty", but this Frederic definitely wasn't a pansy. Perhaps Connor would be able to get along better with his brother now.

" . . . PSYCHOLOGICAL INTOXICATION, RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY, ROBBERY, SHOPLIFTING, PSYCHOACTIVITY . . . "

Smee had resisted when he'd first felt the strength of a man pulling against him, but when he'd happened to glance up, the words he had been about to speak to James died in his throat. He stared at the curly, blonde mop on top of his son's head in surprise. Frederic had come to him. Connor remained standing beside James, but Frederic -- his dear, sweet, little Freddy who'd had such problems with his curse -- had come to him and was determined to help him. Trembling, Smee put an arm around Frederic's small waist as he stood beside him and tried to stop shaking so badly. His head remained lowered so that the others would not see the tears running down his face, and he whispered to Frederic, barely able to get his words out for the emotions that stuck in his throat. "It -- It'll never be okay, Fr-Freddy. Your Daddy doesn't -- doesn't love me any more . . . . "

" . . . ASSAULT, VANDALISM, ESCAPE, KIDNAPPING . . . "

"James does love you," Vang spoke up from Smee's other side, "and even if he does not, you have a son who loves you, Smee. You must pull yourself together if, for no one else, then for Frederic." He placed a gentle paw on Smee's foot and looked up into his eyes, where he could see such pain and heartache that he was reminded of his own pain when he'd lost Seraphina.

" . . . ESPIONAGE, TAX EVASION, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE . . . "

Frederic leaned down to where he could whisper in Smee's ear. "You're wrong, Dad. James loves you with all his heart. You're all I ever knew of love. As parents, you've been wonderful. Things will come right again. Don't be afraid. Believe."

Across the distance that separated them and felt like ten million miles though it was only several feet, James looked at Smee with eyes of love. He was proud of Frederic going to his father. He didn't know how Drell would take it, but he wanted to be there, too. Did he dare go to stand beside Smee where his rightful place was? The Hell with Drell! he thought as he slowly began to slip toward Smee. When he got close enough that he could touch Smee, he did so with a trembling hand. He fully expected Smee to flinch and pull away from him again.

Connor had followed James, keeping one eye on Drell the whole time and praying that he would not bellow out his name. When he saw that James had made it, it gave him hope, and he, too, reached out and touched Smee just as a voice ripped through the air.

Drell had been staring balefully at them the whole time and had not missed a single action. He was totally disgusted by all this male/male love and bonding, and his voice ripped through the air. "WHO WILL STAND FOR SAMUEL SMEE?"

Smee had jumped out of his skin when James had touched him. He knew James' touch and didn't need to look to know that it really was him this time. He pulled away from him, shying into Frederic as though trying to melt into his boy's skin and share it with him. When Drell barked out, he shook even more, and the knocking of Smee's knees could be heard clear across the room, where Roxanne snarled in disgust.

Zora had followed Connor and now stood beside Vang. She wanted to touch him but knew that her hand on his shoulders would be looked upon by the stupid Council like a human girl touching her pet and keeping it in line. She growled under her breath at the thought, her wild, green eyes flashing as her feline father spoke up.

"I will."

"**_YOU!_**" Drell roared in laughter and was joined by several others on the Council. "YOU'RE ONLY AN ANIMAL! YOU CAN'T STAND FOR ANY ONE!"

At that exclamation, Vang and Zora roared.

James had wanted to cry out when Smee had snatched away from him. He had fully expected it, but even so, it had done nothing to really prepare him for the pain that shot through him. He couldn't bare the thought that he might never hold Smee again through no fault of his own. Any hopes of a reconciliation went out the window, however, as Drell refused Vang's declaration. If Vang didn't stand for Smee, who would, and why couldn't Vang stand for him? He looked at Drell and demanded, "Why not! He is an intelligent animal and can speak and reason! Just because he is on four legs? Why can't he stand for Smee!"

"FOR THE VERY REASON I ALREADY ANNOUNCED! HE IS AN ANIMAL! A STUPID BEAST!" Drell hissed. "WE COULD NOT POSSIBLY PLACE ONE OF THE GREATEST TRAITORS OF ALL TIME INTO THE INCAPABLE PAWS OF A CAT!"

"Excuse me, Your Highness, but, I believe, if given the chance, you would find Vang's paws to be extremely capable." The smooth, elegant voice held an authoritative, regal tone and came from across the court room. Eyes turned toward the speaker as Celina Lewis made her way out from the shelter of her beloved husband's arms. "Vang is a great deal more than an ordinary animal. Indeed, he is not a four-legged animal at all but merely bares the appearance of one. He is, in fact, as much a tiger man as I am a catwoman. Like the rest of our family and I, he comes from another world called Alderberan. I would have trusted that, in your infinite wisdom, you would have already known this, but evidently not." Her tail swished.

"Princess Celina Lewis raises a valid point, Drell, but there is also much more to it," Aslan called out. "For starters, the decision as to whether or not an entity may be allowed to stand for another is not your decision alone but a joint decision to be voted upon by all members of the Council. And if I hear you refer to any animal again as a 'stupid beast', you and I will step outside this court room, and I promise you," the Kingly lion glared at the fat Wizard, who was now sitting on his shaking hands, "we will have to find another to fill your position as you will not return."

Cinderella smiled, and more than one of the long-bearded Wizards grinned from around their pipes.

Drell humphed and tried desperately to hide his fear. "VERY WELL. WE'LL VOTE BEFORE THIS RIDICULOUS MATTER GOES ANY FURTHER, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL FIND THAT THE OTHERS AGREE WITH ME. ALL IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING THIS . . . " Aslan cleared his throat loudly and drilled his claws against the top of his dai. "ALL IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING VANG TO GO FURTHER IN HIS ATTEMPT TO STAND FOR SAMUEL SMEE, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." The voting tied very quickly, and Severus Snape was the last one to speak up. He did not look at Drell but droned out with the same lack of emotion he had been reading the charges with, "Aye."

Vang's tail cut with a charge of jubilation through the air, and Zora grinned. Celina smiled and started to step back. Morph's hand on her slim shoulder stopped her. Then he wrapped his arm around her furry waist, pulled her close, and kissed her cheek. "You would've been one heck of a Queen, darling," he told her proudly. He started to acknowledge Tom and Katrina where they had been standing on the other side of the room but now saw Faith, Salem, and Dawson standing alone with no sign of the two he sought. He nearly jumped out of his hide when Katrina spoke beside him.

Katrina had been about to speak herself when Celina had spoken up. She had left the speaking to Celina, who tended to be more eloquent with words than she did any way, and had instead gone to stand beside her sister and lend her moral support. Now, as she heard Morph's comment, she nodded at him and spoke up. "Yes, you would've made a wonderful Queen, my dear sister. I hope, if I ever end up in a corner, I'll have you standing for me, as well." She was very proud of her sister.

Celina smiled at Katrina, her blue eyes meeting her sister's green ones. "Our family will stand together as long as there is breath left in us, beloved sister." Her smile grew as Tom came silently up behind Katrina and wrapped her in a hug from behind. He kissed the top of her head.

The vote was close, and Snape had had the final deciding vote, just as Charles had hoped would work out. Things were definitely looking up for them, but only time would tell if they could win. He breathed a sigh of relief and continued to watch. There are two more, he thought. I hope they fare as well.

Drell humphed and glared back down at Vang as though he'd like to have him cut up and cooked for a dinner he'd take great relish in eating. "FINE."

"VANG, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH SAMUEL SMEE IN ORDER TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

"I do."

"VANG, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON SAMUEL SMEE WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"I do." He would miss the rest of their family, but being trapped in Neverland would not be a curse he could not deal with as long as Zora was there, too.

"IF SAMUEL SMEE IS FORCED TO RETURN TO NEVERLAND AND REMAIN THERE FOR THE REST OF TIME, PLAYING THE PART OF AN EVIL PIRATE ABOARD THE JOLLY ROGER AND A NEMESIS TO PETER PAN, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PLAY THAT PART TOO?"

"I do, and I accept . . . " Vang glanced at Zora, a wry grin on his feline lips. He looked at Kat and Ace, both of which had come so close to telling the Council off and had done so as much as possible without causing a greater battle. Then he looked back up at Drell, the tip of his tail twitching like mad. " . . . as long as I do not also have to be a cabin boy to Captain Hook and all that that entails." Vang watched with great interest as Drell's face turned several different shades.

James grinned. Things were working out for his baby! Would he show jealousy toward Vang for that comment? There had to be a spark in there somewhere, James prayed. Smee had often shown jealousy in the past when there had been no reason to do so, as far as James could see, but he really needed to reach that spark now. He dared to lay his hand on Smee's shoulder again, more possessively this time.

Zora grinned from ear to ear and looked at her adopted father in surprise. She often forgot that Vang did have an actual sense of humor until he deployed it at the most unexpected times. She patted his shoulders, and her hand stayed there protectively, her fingers splayed between the powerful blades of his shoulders.

Smee's body went as stiff as wood underneath James' touch, but he did not entirely move away. Instead, he stayed frozen to the spot, not daring to move or breathe. He knew James was merely acting the part he felt he had to for their sons' sakes, but he also realized that it might well be the last time James touched him. For now, he let his hand stay and tried, unsuccessfully, to imagine that it was real. More tears fell from his eyes, and a sob broke free. Oh, if only James really did still love him, but he knew better!

"WHATEVER TRANSPIRES BETWEEN JAMES HOOK AND YOURSELF IS ENTIRELY BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU. THE COUNCIL WANTS NO PART OF IT. MOVING ON . . . VANG, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, IF SAMUEL SMEE IS SENTENCED TO REMAIN OLD, FAT, AND UGLY AS HE WAS ORIGINALLY TRANSFORMED TO AS PART OF HIS SENTENCING BEFORE, YOU, TOO, WILL BECOME OLD, FAT, AND UGLY?"

Vang's head snapped up, and he stared at the Council, his eyes wide in shock. He had had no idea that Smee's current status as an old, fat man had been part of his sentencing. He looked to Zora, the emotions in his eyes moving toward panic. If he was old and fat, how could he ever hope to protect her or, for that matter, even keep up with her!

Zora's eyes, too, were wide with surprise. She stared at Smee until she felt Vang's eyes upon her. Returning his gaze, she forced down her own surprise and nodded solemnly. "I'll be there for you," she whispered to him and began reassuringly stroking his fur. "You know I will be."

Katrina's mouth fell into a little, round o as her mind screamed, OH MY GODDESS! She could not believe that Vang might be old before her eyes. She would never have imagined him that way. She vowed to be there for Vang, as well. She knew it was something that her Grandmama would have wanted her to do as well as something that she wanted to do herself. Not in a thousand years would she have ever thought that Smee had been cursed to be old and fat!

Tom's head ached from Katrina's scream, but he understood and shared her shock. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, then moved his hand down to rub her back. He knew she would be there for Vang, if at all possible, and he would be right beside her even then. Nothing would keep him from his love's side as long as he was able to fight, and if he wasn't able to fight, such as in the case with the evil Piratesses whose memories sent shivers rippling throughout him and made his orange fur bristle, he would run to her as soon as he was able to fight again.

Jack looked at Smee. What did he look like when he wasn't old and fat? That would explain so much if he was good looking! He had tried to see what James had seen in Smee and couldn't, but if Smee's appearance now was not his true appearance, then James would have fallen in love with his previous self. He looked at Will and tried to imagine him as being old and fat. Yes, Jack thought, I will love you even then. He surprised himself to be thinking those thoughts as Will was so much younger than he himself, but would Will still love him if he was old and fat like Smee? He vowed to ask him one day.

Will looked questioningly at Jack. The way his love was looking at him made him uneasy, and he wondered what in the world he could possibly be thinking. "What?" he whispered, but Jack only shook his head, his beads jingling as he did so.

Xena had been very quiet for a while not saying much except for when the issue of family had come up. She looked rather strangely at Smee, trying to envision a younger, good-looking Smee. She reached out and pulled Gabrielle closer to her, giving her a gentle squeeze. It didn't matter to her if Gabrielle was young and beautiful or old and fat; she knew she'd always love Gabby.

Unlike Will, Gabrielle knew exactly what her beloved was thinking. She returned Xena's squeeze, reached up, and lightly kissed her temple. "I will still love you," she assured her quietly, "when your hair is gray and even when it's all fallen out. I will always love you, and nothing can change that." Her lips moved from her temple to her cheek and then finally to her sweet mouth.

All throughout the court room, others displayed signs of their shock, and all eyes were upon Smee and Vang. Many would not have been able to make such a sacrifice, and they wondered if Vang would even as he himself pondered the horrible possibilities. At last, Vang turned to Connor and Hook and stated his case quite clearly. "I need to know that some one will be there for Zora if she needs somebody and I am unable to be there."

Zora's eyes shot even wider at Vang's words. "Vang!" His concern initially griped her, but then she realized that she would feel the same way if their roles were reversed. Unshed tears sparkled in her eyes, and she smiled sadly at him.

Vang didn't look at Zora but kept his eyes on James and Connor.

"WE ARE WAITING FOR YOUR ANSWER, VANG," Drell reminded.

Connor looked at Vang. "I love Zora. I was going to talk to you about that later. I will stand beside her and protect her, and I will also stand beside you, if I am able, and protect you. You have nothing to fear from old age, Vang. Your family will be with you." He feared they might all be returned to Neverland, which was a place for youth and where the old were very lonely, but as a family unit, he knew they would all make it.

James looked at Vang. "I, too, will stand and protect Zora, if I am able. I will never desert you." He smiled at Vang fondly. Before James had met Vang, he would never have thought that he would like cats, but now he found that he had developed quite a fondness for them.

Vang nodded sadly. "Thank you." He turned back around, Connor's words echoing in his ears, and his eyes turned to Celina, Katrina, and their husbands. Celina had telepathically offered to be there for Zora seconds before he had turned to Connor and James, but he had had to decline her offer as he had no way of knowing if they would be trapped in Neverland or not and did realize that, were they trapped in Neverland, the rest of their family would be gone from them forever. His eyes moved to Kat, Ace, Captain, and Clyde. There, his eyes met first Kat's, then Ace's, and finally Captain's. He could learn quite a bit about maneuvering despite old age from Captain if given the opportunity, but this might be the last place he saw them in. Finally, he looked down at Sebastian, who had scuttled up beside him and placed a reassuring claw on top of his paw.

"It'll be okay, mon." When Vang nodded but did not speak, Sebastian added sadly, "If you don' get outta here, I'll tell dem you love dem."

Vang smiled sadly. "Thank you, old friend," he whispered and then raised his head to meet Drell's angry, piercing gaze again. "I do," he spoke just before Drell could speak again.

Zora's heart ached for Vang, whose back she had again placed her hand on, and yet her heart also beat wildly with hope, happiness, and another emotion she'd been feeling a whole lot of lately. Connor had said he loved her! She couldn't believe it! Grinning but trying desperately to remain solemn, she stole a glance back at him. Then she remembered that he'd said he'd protect her. She didn't need protection. He knew that. But he had had to reassure her father, and both he and his father had done so. Did they really think she needed protection that badly? Thoughts swirled through her mind, but she said not a word.

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"I do."

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME SAMUEL SMEE COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"I do."

"SAMUEL SMEE, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT VANG COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Smee sniffed and whispered his answer, still not looking up, "I do."

"WHAT?"

He spoke a little louder. "I do."

"WHAT?"

Again, he raised his voice a decibel. "I do."

"WE CAN NOT HEAR YOU. WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER?"

Suddenly, a flare from the old days broke forth, and Smee snapped his head up, his tear-filled eyes gazing directly at Drell from a pale, round face soaked with tears. "I DO!"

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, VANG, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS SAMUEL SMEE'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

This time, Vang answered immediately. "I do."

"ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORT VANG AS SAMUEL SMEE'S GUARDIAN, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." Drell voted "nay" and was shocked at how quickly the "aye"s won their ground. Again, Snape threw in his voice at the last moment, and it was with great anger that Drell announced Vang as Samuel Smee's guardian. He then growled out, "NEXT."

"NEXT THE COUNCIL ON HIGH CALLS UPON JOSEPH LEHNSHERR." Whispers ran rampant throughout the crowd at this name. Some knew a Joseph but knew him only as Joseph. Was he Joseph Lehnsherr? Surely he could not have been connected to this mess, so just who was Joseph Lehnsherr?

Ororo looked questioningly at Magneto, and he answered her with a nod before she could ask. "He is my little brother."

"Where is he? Why does he not answer?"

Erik looked out with great pain in his eyes to where a man with long, white hair lay on the floor. "Because he does not know."

**To Be Continued . . . **


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

**The Council's Court Room**

Rogue had been holding Kennedy and had not moved since they had come. When the name of Joseph had been read out, she only knew of one Joseph, her Joseph. She got to her feet, pulling Kennedy up with her. "He's dead!" she wanted to cry out. Her beloved Joseph was dead! She renewed her tears, adding them to Kennedy's, who had not stopped crying even though she had cried a river and thought that she had never had so many tears. Willow is gone! she kept telling herself, not believing that something could have killed her beloved. The women's tears turned to wails, and all eyes were drawn toward them save for two, wondering why their grief had suddenly escalated.

Joseph had heard some one with the same first name as he called upon but had made no attempt to move from his deflated position on the floor until he heard his beloved Rogue crying out as though her heart was shattered. He lifted his head at last and peered through his tears toward the sound. He could not see her for the others in the room and had to get to his feet. The very second he stood, Drell called out condescendingly, "HOW GOOD OF YOU TO FINALLY STAND, LEHNSHERR. SOMEBODY QUIET THOSE FOOLISH WOMEN!"

Joseph whirled around, and anger blazed from his teary eyes. "DO NOT," he warned, "CALL MY BELOVED FOOLISH!" He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to find Kyna standing beside him.

"Do not allow him to anger you, Drell. He merely seeks to protect the name of his lady love, and they are far from foolish. We had many deaths in our crew last night. Willow Rosenberg was among their number, and she was the beloved to one of them." Though her eyes were sad, she spoke firmly before turning to look back at Rogue and Kennedy and nodding to Spike, wanting him to be ready for what she was not yet certain would come. "Rogue," she called out strongly. "Rogue, look at me!"

Rogue swiped angrily at her tears and looked to where she heard her Captain's voice coming from. She still kept her arm around Kennedy, who clung desperately to her. "Yes? Ah'm lookin' at you, Kyna . . . " And then she looked beyond Kyna and saw Joseph. Rogue screamed, let go of Kennedy, flew to her husband's side, and threw herself against him. "Oh mah Gods, dahlin'! Ah thought that ya were dead an' Ah had nothin' left ta live for!" She clung desperately to him as her tears continued to flow unchecked.

When Rogue released her, Kennedy simply hit her knees and kept crying. Kyna started to move toward her but stopped when she heard the strong, assuring voice of Trina Malloy. "I've got her." Trina sped from where she had been standing with Trent, Carlos, Angel, and Cordelia to go to Kennedy, who was far from being able to protect herself right now.

Joseph's heart soared, and he wanted to cry out with the relief and joy that flooded him. Rogue seemed to be all over him, her gloved hands everywhere at once, and he clung to her as fiercely as she clung to him. His lips hungrily kissed every part of her face and hair that he could reach, and his hands caressed her every spot. "I would never have wanted you to think me dead, my love, but I did not know if you lived and feared that you would hate me even if you did live and so did not have the heart to rise from my rightfully lowly place upon the floor!"

The Pirates had all gone quiet at the women's outbreak, and so now that the women were more quiet and words were being spoken, every one could hear what was being said. Rogue shook her head at Joseph's words. "Ya don't belong on the floor, mah dahlin', an' yoah rightful place is beside me."

Prue had to agree. It seemed that her Brendan was not the only one who thought his rightful place was on the floor at her feet. She wanted him to stand beside her, but yet where was he but gone again! He had left so quickly that she had not even a clue as to where he had gone. She sighed heavily, her eyes glued to the couple.

Prue had no idea that Brendan was still watching her. He had backed far enough away into the shadows that he hoped not to be quite so dire a threat to her but could still leap to her defense should the attack he expected finally come. He was keeping her well into his view but also often glanced at Jack and Wolverine, making sure that his family was all right. When he heard Joseph's words, he wondered if the man was some sort of Were, but he did not sense that about him. How was it, then, that he was a threat to his woman?

Kyna stepped back, allowing the couple room to reunite. She was not surprised when William stepped up beside her and took her hand. She smiled at him but remained silent, her attention concentrating on Drell and the rest of the Council.

"ENOUGH OF THIS MUSHY CRAP. HOW MANY TIMES NEED I REMIND YOU PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A _COURT ROOM_!"

Morph smirked, and Celina placed her hand over his lips before he could say what he was thinking -- that the way Drell ran the place, you'd think it was a circus full of clowns!

"SNAPE, READ THE CHARGES."

"JOSEPH LEHNSHERR, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH . . . "

Knowing that Joseph and Rogue were lost to their own world and not paying attention to anything else, Kyna interrupted Snape. "_Who_ is Joseph Lehnsherr?"

Rogue was lost in Joseph's arms, kissing him desperately as though their very lives depended upon it. She was totally oblivious to Snape's reading the charges, and even if she had been listening, she would not have known who Joseph Lehnsherr was. All she knew was that her Joseph, by some miracle, not only lived but had been returned to her. She gave herself up totally to his kiss.

Jack had been about to step forward as he knew that the list of criminals was growing very small. He figured that this must be the one the Wizards were wanting him to stand for, but even as he took that first step, the word, No, resounded in his head. Had Charles simply gone crazy, or had he changed his mind and did not want Jack to stand for any one as the person he should have stood for had already been taken! He looked questioningly at Charles even as his mind wondered who this Joseph Lehnsherr was. He only knew one Joseph, and he turned back around to look at the couple who were lost in their own little world. He had never known what Joseph's last name was, but if it was the last name of the man who was kissing Rogue so tenderly, Jack felt that he should be made aware of the circumstances. He turned questioning eyes upon Drell as he waited to hear Drell's answer. Who was this Joseph Lehnsherr, and why did he not step forward?

"JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS THE MAN WHO IS CURRENTLY ATTEMPTING TO COPPULATE IN _MY_ . . . " Drell ignored the sounds of protest that arose from many of the Council. " . . . COURT ROOM!"

"You mean . . . ?" Kyna gestured to Joseph.

"DO I REALLY HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU, CHAN! THEY SAID YOU WERE SMART!"

Kyna ignored Drell's insult and Spike's growl and moved back to stand next to Joseph and Rogue. "Forgive me," she told them, expertly sliding her hands between them and pushing against both, "but you two must hear this!"

"Hear what?" Rogue asked in her rather dazed condition. Her Joseph was alive, and she couldn't wait to get out of there so that she could make up for the argument that they had had earlier!

Kyna looked at them with stern solemnity in every inch of her hardened gaze. "Joseph is Joseph Lehnsherr."

"What?" Joseph queried. "But -- But -- But I can not be a criminal!"

Kyna sighed and shook her head, realizing that, even after all this time, Joseph still had a great deal to learn. "Joseph, you already are a criminal. You are, after all, a Pirate, and you _are_ Joseph Lehnsherr. The Council could not lie about such a matter."

Rogue grasped his arm and held to it firmly. "He's Joseph Lehnsherr?" Gods, what had her beloved done, and what had happened to his memories of who he was! She had never asked questions. She had just accepted that he loved her more than anything else in the world and that she returned his love. To find that Joseph had worked for Salem's cause surprised her greatly. All eyes were now turned upon Joseph. "What happened to his memories?"

All eyes turned toward Drell, waiting for any further word on what had happened to his memories, but it was not Drell who came forward with the explanation. This man approached with caution from the shadows of the room, a tall, dark-skinned woman following just as cautiously behind him. "Joseph," he spoke, "I know you do not remember me, dear one, but I could never forget you." He came to stand before Joseph and was completely aware that Captain Chan was ready to attack him at the slightest sign that he was an enemy. "I am Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, and you are my little brother. They took your memories. That was your sentence: that you should be caused to forget everything and every one you ever cared for entirely."

As Joseph was digesting this information, Magnus looked at Rogue. "Do not fear, lady. I never knew him to love another. His entire life was devoted to . . . " His voice faltered, and for a moment, he looked even older and filled with more anguish than Rogue and Joseph had ever borne witness to. " . . . to his family . . . "

Rogue was slowly digesting what this strange man was telling her. "Are there othahs o' you?" She had not let go of Joseph's arm and had no intention of ever letting him go.

Ororo had sensed the emotions in Magnus as he had been talking to Rogue, and she realized that he must blame himself for what had happened to Joseph. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and felt him go as stiff and cold as metal underneath her touch. She lifted her hand after a moment, and it was only then that he resumed. "Joseph and I were the last ones left of our family."

"You . . . " Joseph eyed Magneto. "You are my brother?"

"Yes."

"But you are so old!"

"It was part of my curse," Magnus explained, "or my sentence. I . . . "

"NOW THAT EVERY ONE KNOWS WHO JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS, WE CAN RESUME. SNAPE!"

Magneto looked at Drell, his thought clear on his face: He had known Drell had been about to bark that order out before his mouth had opened, but he was still no happier about it than Snape's pale, scowling face seemed to say that he was. He turned back to Joseph as Severus began reading the charges. He could see the abject horror and fear in his little brother's eyes, and his own heart ached. He reached out and touched his shoulder gently. Still looking into his eyes, he said, "Joseph, I know this is a lot to . . . "

Erik paused as Joseph shrugged off his hand and stepped back, holding Rogue closely to him and positioning his body so that the side away from Rogue seemed to be coming forward to meet Magneto. "Why should I believe you?" he questioned, his blue eyes stormy. "I could never have been like you -- a slave trader!"

"The humans I traded were evil. They would have done the same, at the very least, to our kind. I merely did it to them first."

"What _exactly_ did you do?" Joseph demanded. "Beat them? Rape them? Kill them? Enslave them?"

A sad look fell over Magneto's face, and it made him look more ancient than the very wind itself. "Nearly all of the above, but I never . . . "

"I thought as much. We want no part of you." His arm still wrapped firmly around his wife's slender body, Joseph turned her around as he turned round, presenting his self-proclaimed brother with their backs.

Rogue's mind was whirling madly. She could not believe that there had been any way that Joseph had been involved in this mess! He was too sweet, too gentle, and too kind to have ever been a slaver! She, too, had turned her back upon his supposed brother, but she could not turn a blind eye or deaf ear to Snape reading the charges.

Erik sighed, and his hand hovered in the air for a moment before he returned it to his side. He cleared his throat and tried desperately to harden his eyes. He was not a crier. He had only cried once since losing their parents, and that had been when he had lost Joseph. He would never cry again. He would not show that great sign of weakness.

Ororo glanced at the wrinkled man as a curse of another language left his lips in a whispered hiss. She could only imagine the pain he was going through and glanced over at her girls. What would she do if they ever discovered the dark secrets of her past and turned from her? They knew a few of the things that she had done and thought that they were cool, but if they knew the truth . . . 'Ro shook her head sadly, turned away from them, and lowered her eyes. If they learned the truth, she would be in the same boat Magnus was now in. She returned her hand to his shoulder and strengthened her grip, but he promptly shoved it off.

" . . . ASSAULT, ARSON, BURGLARY . . . "

"You have every right to hate me, Joseph," Magnus whispered, unable to keep his sadness out of his voice, "and every right to have things explained to you. I would return your memory if I could, but I can not. I am more sorry for what has happened to you than any words could ever say, little brother, and I would gladly kill every member of the Council if I could for doing what they have to you."

"But it is true. You were involved, just as they say. You were involved because of . . . because of me. I believed in Salem and in The Cause, and you followed me right into it all."

"I would never have been a slaver," Joseph whispered back, refusing to look at the man who could not be his brother.

"You were not. That was what you hated the most about the business. You refused to have any part of it."

" . . . DISORDERLY CONDUCT, EXTORTION, FRAUD . . . "

"I talked you into the extortion, and you stole to prove that you could handle being a member of The Cause just like the rest of us."

"I would never -- "

"You steal now, do you not? You are a Pirate?"

Joseph didn't answer.

" . . . LARCENY, LOITERING, PROPERTY CRIME, GRAFFITI . . . "

"We left messages for The Cause everywhere we went. That was how we became charged with loitering, graffiti, and even some of the property crimes."

"What is graffiti, any way?"

Erik smiled sadly at his little brother's innocence. "It is where one supposedly destroys something that belongs to some one else by leaving their mark upon it."

"Leaving their mark?"

"Writing on it." Another thing occurred to Erik, but he did not mention it. He had a feeling that Joseph would hate him even more if he was to say anything near the lines of urinating on something in front of his lady.

" . . . PSYCHOLOGICAL INTOXICATION . . . "

"Always an excellent way to fool a moron," Magnus explained. "Pretending that you are drunk."

"I do not drink."

"I find that difficult to believe, given your Piratical status."

"That one is actually true," Kyna commented.

"I can not drink. I must always be ready to protect my lady, and alcohol dims the mind and reflexes."

" . . . ROBBERY, VANDALISM . . . "

"Another of those destructing property crimes."

" . . . MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE . . . "

"You killed some one to save my life. It was the only way."

Joseph tightened his arm on Rogue's waist but did not rebuff the accusation. He knew he would kill to protect his family.

" . . . TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE . . . "

"Any follower of Salem was charged with that."

" . . . ESPIONAGE . . . "

"That too."

" . . . TAX EVASION . . . "

"Had we bothered to pay our unjust taxes, they would have found us far more easily."

" . . . ARMED ASSAULT, THEFT, ASSAULT AND BATTERY . . . " Snape seemed to drone on and on until Joseph thought that neither man would ever shut up. Then memories flashed through his mind at a blinding rate. Yells and wails that no one else could hear assaulted his ears and vibrated through his mind. He felt hands shoving him and another pair gently but strongly picking him up and urging him forward. He heard Magneto in his head and other voices, too. He grimaced, and his knees buckled.

Rogue felt Joseph's knees buckle and held on tightly to him, praying that he was not about to faint. "Dahlin'? Please," she pleaded with him, doing her best to hold him up.

Erik was immediately at Joseph's other side. He draped his other arm around him and held him up, his eyes looking at him with as much concern as Rogue was. "What's wrong?" he questioned, not realizing that some one was returning Joseph's memories.

Rogue watched in terror as Joseph's eyes flickered. What was wrong with him! She had never known him to have any kind of fits before! Maybe she should help him to the floor? she thought and began to help him to sit. She stood protectively beside him, her green eyes flashing around the room, trying to figure out who was doing a psychic attack upon her beloved. She had not clue one as to how to stop it.

Joseph was talking now, but his words came out as fast as Rogue could fly and were completely incoherent. Magnus stayed crouching beside him, his hands still around him and his emotions, for once, clearly displayed on his withered face. He looked up at the Council, and anger flowed from him like a mighty river. "WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING TO HIM, STOP IT AT ONCE OR I SWEAR I WILL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU OR DIE TRYING!"

Charles? Ororo thought worriedly. What is happening?

It is . . . But Drell's thundering voice answered her before Charles could finish his thought. "WE ARE DOING NOTHING, MAGNETO. PERHAPS ALBUS WOULD LIKE TO LET US IN ON HIS LITTLE PLAN?"

Who was Albus, Rogue wondered, and what was he doing to her beloved? If she could find out who he was, she'd kick his butt till he let go of her Joseph!

Magneto glowered at Dumbledore, who stood, quietly chanting, beside Minerva. He had not looked up when yelled at, and his eyes were as glazed over as Joseph's. Minerva's hand hovered protectively on his arm, and Magneto moved slowly as to not draw more attention upon himself. "Stay with him," he whispered to Rogue, lowering Joseph more fully to the floor and standing.

Magneto had just gotten to his feet when he found his way blocked. "You will do nothing," Kyna informed him.

"It is all right," Charles called out. "Albus is merely returning to Joseph enough of his memories so that he will know what he is being charged with." His blue eyes looked up at the other members of the Council. "Surely you can not hold that against him?"

"WE CAN HOLD IT AGAINST THE BOTH OF YOU," Drell informed him. "HOW DARE YOU TWO HAVE THE AUDACITY TO INVOKE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN VOTED ON!"

"When you can not, you mean to say?" Cinderella questioned Drell with a thin smile upon her face. "It was agreed on before, Drell. Did you forget so quickly? They must have their memories or else they will believe themselves to be innocent."

"WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF THEY THINK THEY'RE INNOCENT!"

"Sir," Lionel whispered, "as much as it pains me to admit, she is right. It was voted upon and passed before the trial began."

Rogue still stood protectively over Joseph and watched the proceedings with a wary eye. She wondered just what was being put into Joseph's mind. Was he truly guilty, as they said, or was it make-believe memories put into his mind? She found it extremely hard to believe that Joseph could have ever committed even a single crime, let alone the list that had been read. Ever since she had met him, he had been extremely careful in everything he did not to unjustly harm any. Now she knew that, deep down in his heart, he must have feared he had done something wrong at some time. She kept hoping to wake and that it would all be a bad dream but knew that she would not. The awful truth was coming out, and she worried about the impact it would have on her Joseph. She prayed it would not destroy him, because he had always been one to be gentle and kind and go out of his way to help others. Please don't let the nightmares destroy him! she prayed.

Groans came from both Albus and Joseph simultaneously. Albus fell back against the wall, looking even older than he had before, and Joseph's eyes slowly reopened. His head pounded, and his heart ached. He remembered, and it was Erik's eyes he looked into first instead of Rogue's. "Erik," he whispered. Then his eyes widened and moistened. "Dear Gods! What did they do to you!"

Rogue looked at Joseph, knowing that, at last, he knew it all. He was not screaming, so she hoped that it was not too bad.

"They made me old," Erik again told him, but this time, he was smiling, "and they took away my little brother." He held his hand down to him. "Welcome back, brother."

Joseph took Magneto's hand without any hesitation whatsoever this time, and Erik pulled him to his feet. The brothers hugged just as Drell impatiently boomed out, "WHO WILL STAND FOR JOSEPH LEHNSHERR?"

From his place on the floor, Lex had been blissfully out of most of it, but this latest disturbance had just been too much for him. He had found himself listening to what was actually being said instead of just listening for the voices of Clark, their children, and his father. He sat slowly up and looked at the white-haired man who was still hugging his brother despite the charges hanging over his head. He moved closer and wondered how badly it would aggravate his father if he actually stood for some one. At least this one's curse didn't seem to be too bad. A mere loss of family memories? He could forget his father and never have to think about the son-of-a-bitch again! As the question was asked as to who would stand for Joseph, Lex opened his mouth. "I will."

Lionel Luthor's mouth fell open. He wanted to yell at Lex, but he could think of absolutely nothing to say for the shock that clouded his brain.

Joseph and Erik parted but continued to hold on to each other. Joseph still did not look at Rogue for he feared her reaction to the truth of his past. Would she still love him after knowing all the horrible things he had done and the sins that were in his family tree? Both men looked at the bald man who had come forward. Joseph recognized Lex as being one of Jack's men, one of the few who had not been taken by the Piratesses and who they had rescued from the island and taken along on the rescue of the others. He stared at him, obviously surprised. "Are . . . . Are you sure, Lex? You barely know me!"

Rogue moved closer to Joseph and slipped her arm around him. "Ah'll stand by ya, shugah. Ya ain't gettin' rid o' me that easy despite the things that's in yoah family tree. Ah dread ta think what might be in mine!" She smiled at Lex.

Lex grinned back at them. "Yeah, I'm sure." He then whispered, "Let my Father bite on that one!"

"LEX!" Lionel was already beyond ready to have a fit when he heard the voice of Lex's do-gooder lover, whose gender disgusted Lionel even more! He growled and slammed his fist angrily down upon his dai as Clark Kent rushed at Lex, grinning from ear to ear.

Lex grinned even bigger at the sound of his father's voice even as he reached out and grabbed Clark. He gave him a big hug. "Where are the kids?" he whispered. He was so relieved that Clark was alive that he wanted to sing a song but none came to him at the moment.

"I don't know. I hadn't found them yet, but I'm sure they're okay wherever they are and we'll find them with time." Gently clasping Lex's handsome face in his hands, Clark pressed his lips to his.

"I was afraid, Clark! I couldn't hear you anywhere! I thought . . . " His voice trailed off. "Thank the Gods I was wrong! Now let him do his damndest!"

Clark first caressed Lex's face and then ran his hands softly over his smooth dome. "I know, love! I feared the same, but we are together again and together, we can do anything! You've taught me that."

Drell was coughing so loudly that he sounded as though he was about to cough out his own spleen. "LEX LUTHOR," he tried again.

"Yes, sir?" Lex called, turning his attention upon Drell.

"IT CERTAINLY TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH, BOY." Drell glanced accusingly at Lionel.

"Don't look at me, Drell! He's no son of mine!"

"LEX LUTHOR, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH JOSEPH LEHNSHERR TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE?"

"I do." He wondered if they ever tired of asking the same questions over and over again.

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON JOSEPH LEHNSHERR WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"I do." His eyes went to his father, who seemed to be dancing a jig. He tried hard not to laugh at his antics as Lionel tried to get Drell to hurry up and get every one's eyes off of the boy who wasn't his offspring.

"IF JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS FORCED TO FORGET EVERYTHING AND EVERY ONE HE NOW KNOWS AND REMEMBERS, YOU, TOO, WILL FORGET ALL THAT YOU KNOW AND HAVE KNOWN?"

"I do," Lex answered. He thought it might be a good thing if he lost the memories of Lionel. After all, it was family memories, right? He didn't want to lose his memory of Clark and the kids.

Clark's grin had faded at Drell's latest question. When Lex answered eagerly, he looked at him with an edge of panic to his eyes, then cleared his voice and dared to question authority. "Excuse me, Sir, but is that _all_ of Lex's memories he'd be losing?"

"IT IS."

Lex looked at Drell. That couldn't be right! Joseph had lost family memories and memories of what he had done! That wouldn't include Clark, would it! There was no way he'd ever forget Clark! One look in those blue eyes, and he knew he'd remember everything they'd ever done together, every single detail! "That's . . . not what Joseph forgot. You only took his memories of his blood family and the crimes he committed. Isn't that right?"

"NO. JOSEPH WAS NOT ALLOWED TO REMEMBER ANYTHING."

That sobered Lex up really quickly, and he hated even more the way his father was now grinning. "I don't know what to do, Clark. I want to stand, but I don't want to lose my memories of you! You wouldn't leave me, would you, if I didn't remember you?"

"Never," Clark vowed, gazing into Lex's worried eyes. "Never in a million years!"

Magneto considered speaking up and warning the boys that he had not left Joseph but that Joseph had been taken from him and dumped into the middle of nowhere, but he held his tongue. If he told them that, Lex might well change his mind, and then who would stand for his brother?

"What do you want me to do, Clark?" Lex asked. He could hear and see his father about to have an epileptic fit, and he really hated to back down, but he would not do anything to jeopardize Clark and the children.

Clark hesitated, but he knew the entire while that he had to encourage Lex to do the right thing. He hated himself for being so good and his parents for instilling such high virtues into him. He started to speak, but just as his mouth opened, he heard Faith erupt from the other side of the room.

"THIS IS BULL SHIT!" she exclaimed loudly, her dark eyes blazing defiantly up at the Council. Salem gulped and leaped to the floor from her stiff arms. He backed up slowly, however, not wanting to bring attention upon himself.

"EXCUSE ME?" Drell demanded, looking down at Faith with a single raised eyebrow. "DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?"

"YOU DAMN STRAIGHT I SAID SOMETHING!" Faith snapped. "I SAID THIS IS FUCKING BULL SHIT! YOU CAN'T TAKE LEX'S MEMORIES AWAY FROM HIM!" As she walked forward, glaring furiously at the Council, Salem backed up until he found himself beneath Dawson.

"IF THAT IS THE SENTENCE THAT IS DECREED, THEN THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE!"

Lionel looked puzzledly down at the girl who had come to his pathetic son's defense, trying to place her. He knew better than to hope that Lex had finally been getting it on with the right gender and quickly realized where he knew the girl from. At the memory, he blanched and slid a hand underneath his dai to protectively cover the crotch of his robe.

Across the room, Jack glanced at Will once more. Although there were many memories that Jack would like to forget, Will was not one of them. It would be bad enough to lose his memories of Will, but it would be the most horrible nightmare if he was totally taken away from him. He knew that's what had happened in Magnus and Joseph's case. He didn't remember where he had heard it, but some one had once told him the entire story of Magneto's fall. He leaned forward and gently kissed Will and whispered in his ear, "I don't ever want to lose you, my love. Your memories are the most precious treasures I own."

Lex stood very quietly, his mind in complete turmoil, oblivious to his outward appearance. He had not been surprised by Faith's outburst nor had he missed the reaction Lionel had made. If possible, Lionel's face had gone even whiter, and Lex expected him to fall to the floor at any moment. He knew that the only thing that kept Lionel erect was that stubborn pride of his. Lex grinned at his sister. "Thanks for objecting, sis. This is a mess and possibly one of the worst fixes I've ever been in. I want your promise," he gazed intently into her eyes, waiting for her to answer.

All across the room, the Pirates were gazing at their loved ones and wondering if the punishments could get any worse. To completely forget their memories and not be with the ones they loved would be more than most beings could bare! They had been in Hell for too many hours to count and prayed for the gates of Heaven to soon be opened! Would this night never end!

**To Be Continued . . . **


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

**The Council's Court Room**

Piper's eyes frantically roved over the faces of her family, and she ached to bring her sisters and godmother all close to her. She dared not imagine what must be going through Lex's mind now, but her heart cried out for him and for any one that would face such a horrid curse. Nothing could be worse than forgetting your entire family and everything and every one you'd ever known and being separated from those you love. She vowed she would let nothing come between her family and herself again. They might have lost their mother and grandmother, but as long as they lived, she refused to lose any of them. Her hand tightened its grip on Cole's. She would not lose any of her family ever again as long as there was anything left in her to fight.

She saw Ororo look at her and could feel the change in the atmosphere around them. Had they been in view of a sky, that sky would be as dark as night now with storm clouds rolling across it and lightning flashing. Piper could feel the tiny hairs on her arms standing up from the vibrations of the impending storm. Ororo stood loyally near Magneto, but Piper could see in her stormy blue eyes that her godmother's thoughts and heart were with herself and the rest of their family. More tears welled in Piper's dark eyes as she suddenly wondered why they were even here. Why should they have all been brought here because of Salem's desire to take over the world, and just why had the man-cat been so determined to conquer it in the first place? Why should their family members have to stand beside Salem and his people and risk so much to try to help them? Why was the Council so mean, so cruel, so heartless? Why was fairness such a foreign topic now in their lives?

She turned closer into Cole's embrace but stubbornly kept her tears from falling. It would not do to let Phoebe or Paige see her crying, and she looked at each of her younger sisters now with a tremulous smile. "It'll be all right," she mouthed to them, but, in truth, she wondered if it ever would be again.

Phoebe saw Piper's attempt at reassurance and nodded her head against Joxer's bony shoulder, but the whole time, she knew that Piper was only trying to convince Paige and herself that everything was going to be okay. Piper was no more certain than she was that it was ever going to be okay again or even if they'd ever see the outside of this terrible court room. Phoebe wished there was something they could do to this evil Council. If there was, perhaps they could somehow escape, but she knew that not even their godmother, Ororo, could do anything against them -- or so she thought, but as long as 'Ro thought that, Phoebe knew they were lost. After all, she didn't have an active power, and their powers were gone regardless. Of their "immediate" family, which Phoebe considered to be Ororo and her sisters, the only one left with powers was 'Ro, and she had no intentions of trying to fight.

As the Halliwell sisters considered their predicament and longed for a means of fighting the Council, Rachel argued with Kitty as vehemently as Theodora did with Roxanne in another part of the room. Shadowcat was finding it growingly impossible to keep Ray in line, but as for the Latinas, every time Roxanne swore under her breath and murmured of what she would like to do to the Council, Theodora had merely to remind her of her pets. That calmed Roxanne every time, but the calmness never lasted for long.

Gabrielle continued to feel as though there should be something they could do, but she had yet to see any kind of an opening to attack the Council. She glanced at Xena, wondering what her love was thinking and if she had any kind of a plan yet. Her hatred of the Council grew with each new sentence that was discovered, but as of yet, they seemed to be helpless against them. Sooner or later, though, she knew something would present itself, and when it did, and Xena gave her the signal, she'd be ready.

Will's mind was racing, but with not even Jack willing to challenge the Council, he felt as helpless as the others. Though Jack's whispered reference to their shared memories being his most precious treasures touched his heart, Will did not comment on it but continued to try to come up with some sort of method to save Jack's family. There had to be something they could do, but what? What could he, a mere human being with no powers whatsoever, hope to do against a Council of beings so wicked, vile, and obviously powerful that neither Vampires, Werewolves, Demons, or even powerful Witches and Sorceresses dared attack? For the first time, he found himself smiling at Faith's outburst, but even then, he worried. She had no more powers than he did, just an awful lot of guts that might yet spell her doom. He thought of asking Jack if there wasn't anything they could do, but if he did get Jack to fight, what would happen if the Council overpowered his love? He dared not bring their fury down upon him or else he might lose Jack just as Lex was now risking losing Clark and their children! Will held more tightly to Jack and remained silent.

Faith was furious. Her fury had been building ever since they had found themselves in this court room with these obnoxious bad asses over them, but she had managed to contain her fury for Salem's and Dawson's sakes. Now, however, with Lex facing the unthinkable of losing Clark, she refused to remain silent any more. She had strode swiftly over to Lex, Clark, and the small group around them, leaving Salem to hide between Dawson's legs and whisper-yell at her back to get back over there and settle down for she should not be risking angering the Council. "Fuck the Council," she called back over her shoulder to Salem to which loud and angry whispers rang out across the Council.

She looked back to Lex, needing to know what he was getting at before finally taking on the Council. "What?" she asked. "What do ya want me to promise? It damn well better not be that I won't take them on and 'll just sit here with my damn mouth shut, listening to them raise Hell and cause more Hell in our lives, 'cause they just went too far when they decided to fuck with you."

"NO ONE IS ATTEMPTING TO MESS WITH LEX, FAITH," Lionel dared speak. "HE CAN STEP DOWN WHENEVER HE WISHES."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, LUTHOR," Faith returned, her eyes blazing up at him as though her gaze alone could cut him into two, "OR I'LL YANK YOUR BALLS OUT AND SHOVE 'EM DOWN YOUR THROAT!"

Lionel gasped loudly and looked at Drell. "Are you going to let her speak to me like that!"

Faith looked back at Lex. "Whatever's on your mind, Lex, say it quick 'cause we ain't got much time!"

The winds of storm were brewing around them once again, but Lex knew that if they were to try to attack the Council, they would be defeated before they ever got started. "We can't fight them, Faith, not and win. What I want to get you to promise me is that, if the worse comes to worst and I lose my mind, my memories, will you please take care of Clark and the children for me? I won't be able to take care of them. And whatever you do, for Gods' sakes, don't leave me behind!" His blue eyes pleaded with her even as his hand clasped Clark more firmly. A slight tremble passed from his body through his arm to Clark.

Xena's mind was a complete whirl. She held tightly to Gabrielle, but only part of her mind was in the court room. Scenes kept flashing. They were scenes that she could almost remember but not quite put her finger on. Some one was crying, screaming as though their life depended on it, and then she realized that it was her. She could see Gabrielle's face, but her hair was longer. The day was dark grey, and the wind was blowing. She felt as though she was lost and would have fallen except that she felt Gabrielle's arms around her.

She could no more place where the memories had come from or where that time of darkness was than she could fully face what was now happening in the court room. She had tried desperately to bring herself fully alert in the holding area, but the memories would not let her be. They kept clouding her mind and taking her judgment away. Did Gabrielle have those memories? She wanted to ask her but, for once, felt lost completely. Why were they in this court room, so powerless to fight back against the enemy, who sat in judgment, and why did it seem so familiar? Her blue eyes gazed into Gabby's green with a total look of loss upon her face.

Cole held Piper gently but firmly. Every nerve of his body was tense, and he knew she could probably feel it. He was expecting a fight, a war from whence they could not recover to break out, but he would not be the first one to start it. He knew he had his powers, but how many more had enough power to fight against the enemy? His hand gently rubbed Piper's back as he took her small family in only to realize that their family was no longer small and instead included every Pirate in the room. Every one was kin. Every one was in the same predicament.

There had to be a way out. His eyes went to Captain Xena, hoping that there would be something in her eyes to give them hope to fight, only to realize that she was completely lost. Then his eyes went to Captain Jack. Would he do something? Would he step forward? Would he fight? Would he let the blood of his people be upon his head, or would he not do anything?

The same thoughts were running through Jack's mind. He had already done his best to drive Drell nuts, and he knew Drell hated him. He could not stand the thought that if he made a wrong move, the blood of his people would be upon his head, but he couldn't stand not doing anything. He was about to speak to Drell again when he heard Lex's words to Faith, and he realized that all of them were froze in terror at what they were facing and that, for maybe once, there wasn't a way out, not until the trials were over and they were free to do something about it. He wanted to ask his father for advice, and his eyes went to Wolverine's only to see that, for the first time, Wolverine was completely lost.

Logan had not recovered from the shock of 'Ro stepping forward to stand for Magneto nor the immediate shock that followed to find out that Xavier and Magneto were lovers. He would no more have tried to stop 'Ro for standing for Magneto than he would have stopped Jack from standing for Will. He felt the berserker rage building, and he wanted to let go. He wanted to scratch the eyes from their enemies and make them eat them, but he didn't dare. Who would end up paying for his mistake? 'Ro? Jack? The lump grew bigger in his throat until he thought he would choke on it.

When Gabrielle saw the look in Xena's eyes and on her face, her heart stopped for a moment in fear. Even Xena was lost! She couldn't be! She couldn't be just giving up, letting them have their way with them! No, this could not be possible, not from her love, who had fought many an army practically single-handedly! NO! She heard Faith's answer to Lex only partially, her mind running even faster now.

Though a part of her had expected it, Faith still had trouble believing what Lex was asking of her. "You can't be serious!" she exclaimed at last. "You can't really not expect me to fight! To fight for _you_! To fight against _this_! They can't do this! They just can't!"

She turned and looked out at the sea of faces. "What's happened to you people! Where are your guts! Why are you all too damn scared to do anything but stand here and take this crap! What is it? You're all too afraid? You're all too damn scared of what they might do to your family! What about what they'll do to your family any way!"

"Guys, this is _Lex_, we're talking about here! He's a part of us, a part of our family, and you'll just going to turn away, let him stand for this idiot who thinks he's some sort of innocent Pirate, and let them take his memories away! Clark, what about you?" she demanded, whirling on the young man who had so many powers but that were all beyond his understanding. "You love Lex! You just gonna stand there and let him be taken, or what? You really think they're just gonna take his memory away and let him stay and us find a way to replace it, to get it back to him? Hello!" she exclaimed, stepping up into his face.

"I might be crazy, but somehow I don't think Magneto let Joseph go without a fight! Did you!" she demanded, glaring at Magnus now. "You fought for him, didn't you? But they found a way to separate you and keep you separated! They wiped Joseph's mind, tossed him into who knows what, and you couldn't get him back no matter how hard you tried, but now you won't say anything 'cause you're scared that, if you do, Lex'll run like Hell from standing for him!"

"I . . . . " Magneto bowed his head. He would not admit that the insolent girl was right on the money, but how could he sidle out of this one? How could he escape admitting the truth without lying and possibly making Joseph think he hadn't cared for him enough to follow after him, enough to do everything he could to get him back? Charles? he questioned helplessly.

Celina had started forward for Faith, but Morph put a staying hand on his wife's arm. "No," he whispered urgently just loud enough that she, Katrina, and Tom could hear him. "If we point out that Katrina and you can save Lex from this, who knows what the Council might do?"

"She's right!" Gabrielle called out. "We can't just stand here and take this! I know it seems we don't have a choice, but we do not _not_ have a choice! I know why you're all standing frozen! You're afraid! You're afraid to risk your loved ones getting hurt, possibly even killed, but think for a moment! Lex is now the one endangered of being taken from us, but he's not the only one. Jack, Wolverine, what about Ororo? I know she feels she does not have a choice but to stand for Magneto and help him, but we don't know what sentence will befall who! She could receive the same one Magneto did or the same one that Joseph did, the one Lex is now facing, or Gods only know what!" Her eyes turned pleadingly into Xena's. "There has to be something we can do!"

Clark felt to be perhaps at even more of a loss than the others, but finally, and slowly, he spoke. "Lex, I've always been taught to do the right thing. You know that. But I will not risk losing you by doing the right thing. That is the one thing I refuse to risk by doing good! I will not lose you!"

Xavier? Jack questioned in his mind. I know you're in there! What do we do now! We're at a stand still! What happens if we attack? He waited, desperately hoping Xavier would tell him things he had not already thought of.

Charles, who was now standing with Albus' support, was quick to answer Jack, but when he spoke within Jack's mind, he spoke within the mind of all the Pirates and Piratesses gathered inside the court room. I know this is anything but easy, he told them, but there is not a lot of choice here. The Council can not be fought successfully. If you make a physical attack on either side of the Council, you are attacking the Council as a whole, and the good ones of us will therefore then be obligated to fight against you, regardless of whether or not we want to. If you will continue this, I promise you that you will not be sorry. The vote is mostly decided already, but you must allow the threats to continue or else --

"NO!" No one suspected the shout to come when it did, let alone from the person who screamed. "FAITH," Cordelia screeched, racing forward from Angel's embrace toward a caped man who had slipped down from his dai on the Council and silently made his way through the people toward Faith, "WATCH OUT!"

As Faith turned, however, a glow caught her eyes. Jafar sneered from where he held his cobra-headed cane aloft. The glow came from the snake's eyes, and now Faith looked as dazed as though she'd been hypnotized.

When Cordelia had shouted Faith's name, all eyes had gone immediately to her except for Angel's. He was the only one to see, outside the Council and Cordelia, what had occurred. He could not believe that they were playing so unfairly. After all, they were supposed to be over them to make sure that they didn't go rogue, and here was a rogue on his own! "THAT'S NOT FAIR!" he shouted, looking dead at Jafar. "FOUL, EVIL WIZARD! I CRY FOUL!"

Jack looked at Angel as though he'd taken loss of his senses. "What the Hell just happened! What did he do to Faith!"

Dawson stood up and looked at Faith. He waved his hand in front of her face, and she did not react. "He . . . He petrified her!" Dawson cried, looking at Jack. "He petrified my Faith!" his voice shrilly echoed.

"Drell, that is not fair!" Jareth told him. "It's not right! I demand that you release her at once!"

Lex reached out and touched Faith. He then touched Clark. "He did it to Clark, too!" Lex yelled at Jack.

"Katrina!" Jack called.

Katrina stepped forward and waved her furry hand in front of the two. "I, too, must demand, Drell, that you release them from this state! After all, a condition is that the standee has to have freedom of choice! You have put undue stress upon Lex by taking both his sister and his lover!"

Lionel was about to roar, in laughter this time! Lex was in a no-win situation! He owed Jafar for that! How would the boy ever overcome this problem! All eyes now turned on Drell.

"FIRST OF ALL," Drell's voice thundered over the crowd, "NONE OF YOU ARE IN ANY POSITION TO OBJECT, LET ALONE DEMAND. SECONDLY, JAFAR WAS CALLED UPON BY THE COUNCIL. HE DID NOT ACT OF HIS OWN FREE WILL, AND THEREFORE HAS NOT GONE 'ROGUE', VAMPIRE. THIRDLY, THE KENT BOY MAY BE RELEASED, BUT FAITH WILL REMAIN THE WAY SHE IS FOR NOW. THEY CAN BOTH HEAR AND SEE ALL THAT IS HAPPENING; THEY SIMPLY CAN NOT MOVE. SHE WILL BE RELEASED AFTER WE HAVE HANDLED JOSEPH AND MINERVA AND THE TIME FOR THE TESTS TO BEGIN IS UPON US. FURTHER MORE, SHOULD ANY ONE ELSE WISH TO ATTACK US, WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE SAME WILL BEFALL YOU."

Lex looked from Clark to Faith, his face growing longer every second he looked at them. He loved both of them dearly. He gave them a sad smile. He knew what he had to do. He had to stand for Joseph. He hoped that they would forgive and understand him. He hoped and prayed that he would never forget either of them. "I will still stand for Joseph. Now will you release them?" he asked.

"YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STAND FOR JOSEPH OR NOT TO STAND FOR HIM HAS NO IMPACT WHATOSEVER UPON THE REASON WHY THEY HAVE BEEN PETRIFIED OR WHY AND WHEN THEY WILL BE RELEASED. THEY WERE PETRIFIED ONLY BECAUSE THEY WERE SECONDS FROM ATTACKING US, AND WHETHER THAN KILL THEM, WE HAD THEM FROZEN. IF YOU TRY TO FIGHT US, YOU WILL NOT WIN. WE CAN NOT ALLOW IT. EVEN THOSE OF US WHO WOULD NOT FIGHT YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE TO ATTACK US," Drell explained.

"LOOK AT YOUR LOVER, LUTHOR," he said, shooting Lionel a half-grin, half-smirk that let him know that he was fully aware that Lex was his son and was homosexual. "NOTE HIS HANDS; THEY ARE BALLED INTO FISTS. NOW LOOK AT HIS FEET."

Lex shook his head and looked at Clark, whose feet were not even touching the floor. How brave you are, my love! he thought. He still could not believe that both he and Faith were petrified. He leaned forward and kissed Clark. "It won't be long, love, and I will do everything I can to keep my memories of you in tact." Lex knew that Clark had been about to defend him completely as his hands were also balled into fists. He turned his eyes to Drell and waited for the trial to proceed.

"JAFAR, STOP STARING AT THE PRINCESS -- " Whispers ran amongst the people again at this latest discovery. Some had known that Cordelia was a Princess, but most still had not been aware of the fact. " -- AND RELEASE KENT. HE WILL BE WARNED, LUTHOR, AND IF HE PERSISTS IN FIGHTING, HE WILL BE PETRIFIED. FAITH WILL NOT BE RELEASED AT THIS TIME."

Jafar looked up from where he had been glaring at Cordelia, who was glaring equally furiously back at him. He detested the girl and hated the fact that she now knew his secret. He would have to make certain that she had no contact with Jasmine or the others at the palace. If she showed up on his turf again, he would have her killed. He sneered at her one last time and then turned to face Clark. He spoke in a language that Cordelia did not understand and tapped his cane once upon the floor. Faith remained frozen, but Clark shot through the air from the momentum that had been saved up since he had began to fly.

"NO!" It was Ororo who cried out this time, and the African woman rose her hands and voice into the air. "Winds, protect him!" Winds whipped through the room and wrapped around Clark, pushing him down seconds before he would have hit his head on one of the dais. They brought him safely back down and returned him to Lex's side.

The very instant Clark's feet set upon the floor again, Lex rushed the couple of steps to him and threw his arms around him in a tight hug. "Are you okay!" he cried in concern.

Clark ran a hand lovingly over Lex's face. "I am, but . . . But we have no hope of attacking them? They won't even let us fight them!" His words came out as questions merely from the slim hope that Lex had another answer.

"Unfortunately, darling, that's about the size of it. There is no way to fight them. If they do not want to fight you, they simply petrify you. They will not allow Faith to return to herself until the tests begin."

Angel had stepped up to stand beside Cordelia. "Where do you know him from?" He indicated Jafar.

"That lowly scum," Cordelia fairly spat the word, "is the Royal Advisor to the Sultan of Agraba!" Her eyes had still not left Jafar.

"Where's that at?" Angel asked. "Did you travel with your father there?"

She nodded stiffly. "On several occasions. I suppose Jasmine, the Princess there, was the closest I ever came to having a friend before meeting you and your family. We always thought that there was something . . . fishy about him."

"He looks like an eel," Angel commented. "I wish I had his powers for one minute. I'd petrify that entire jury!"

Cordelia had laughed at Angel's comment but sombered quickly. She was amazed that he could make her laugh even now but did not mention it. Instead, she questioned, turning, at last, to look up at him, "Angel, what are we going to do?"

"Right now, we're going to have to go along with them until we can get most of you out of here to safety. When they least expect it," he looked at Jack and caught the Captain's eye. "When they least expect it . . . " He nodded back at Jack, who winked at him. He thought maybe he might have been misreading the Captain, but when Jack winked at him, he knew he was not. Jack was only biding his time. Whatever came, when Jack gave the word, Angel would be ready to move.

"NOW THEN," Drell commanded, "IF YOU FOOLS HAVE DECIDED TO STOP YOUR SILLY ATTEMPTS TO FIGHT US, WE MAY PROCEED _AGAIN_. LEX, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAND FOR JOSEPH IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO. INDEED, SOME OF US WOULD PREFER YOU NOT TO, BUT THE DECISION IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. THEREFORE, I ASK AGAIN: IF JOSEPH LEHNSHERR IS FORCED TO FORGET EVERYTHING AND EVERY ONE HE NOW KNOWS AND REMEMBERS, YOU, TOO, WILL FORGET ALL THAT YOU KNOW AND HAVE KNOWN?"

"Lex . . . " Clark whispered his name and, looking deeply into his lover's eyes, shook his head. He knew that for Lex to stand for Joseph would be the right thing, but this was one sacrifice he could not stand idly by and allow to be made.

"Clark?" Lex fumbled for words. "I feel like I need to do this. It's not an easy thing to do, and it may be the wrong thing, but I still feel led to do it. You're not making it easy for me."

"I don't want to lose you," Clark told him, and almost all the hearts in the room ached for him. "I love you. But if you want to do this, Lex, I will not stand in your way." He lowered his head, not wanting Lex to see the tears and fear in his eyes.

Lex's eyes filled with tears. He shook his head. "Clark, if I back down, you might not think less of me now, but you will later. Joseph needs me. You need me. You're the most important being in the world to me. How can I back down and be less of a man than I should be in your eyes?" He looked at Clark, waiting for an answer.

Clark did not really know how to answer Lex. He was torn between doing the right thing and protecting their union, but finally he admitted, "I could never think less of you, my love, but I would of . . . of me for . . . for keeping you from doing the right thing . . . " His self-hatred burned brightly even as he spoke the truth.

"Then we'll do this together," Lex said, lifting Clark's chin with a finger and looking into his eyes. "If they swipe my memories, you'll be there for me, and you won't ever let me go, and I know that, deep inside of me, is a flame that will burn for you for all eternity. It will never die. We will find each other again." Lex's declaration brought tears to every one who was not already crying. He held tightly to Clark's hand, and once again, he stepped forward. "I accept," he spoke defiantly.

Lex's acceptance shot an arrow into Clark's heart, but he stood still and tall beside his love. His head was lowered again, but he batted his eyes against the tears and rose his head once more. He would be there for his Lex, he swore. He would be there for his beloved partner, no matter what it took or what tried to tear them apart. If the Council threw Lex into some Gods-forsaken hole, Clark would still find him and would not rest until he had him back and his memories returned.

Drell frowned in disappointment but continued on to the next question. "IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

"You're only going to live until you die any way," Lex told him, breathing a heavy sigh.

"IS THAT A YES, LUTHOR?"

"Yes!" Lex told him resoundingly.

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT JOSEPH LEHNSHERR COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"Yes."

"JOSEPH LEHNSHERR, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT LEX LUTHOR COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Joseph hesitated. He had seen and heard all that had been said and done over Lex's determined attempt to stand for him, and he knew that Lex loved Clark as much as he loved Rogue and was risking losing him forever by standing for him. Yet he barely knew the man. How could he allow him to make such an enormous sacrifice for him when they did not even know each other? Then he heard his brother's voice from behind him.

Erik knew exactly what his little brother was thinking for he had seen the look in Joseph's eyes when he gazed upon his lady wife and knew that Joseph had finally found his soul mate and that Rogue meant as much to him as Charles did to he himself. "If you do not accept this," Magneto whispered to Joseph, "we will lose each other again, and whereas that may no longer bother you, little brother, you will also lose Rogue."

Joseph had been going to tell Erik that he remembered how much he loved him and apologize for his earlier actions and words when he had not recognized his brother, but Magnus had continued without giving him a chance to speak. Now, with a look of deep, sincere gratitude at Lex, Joseph called out quickly, "I do!"

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, LEX LUTHOR, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS JOSEPH LEHNSHERR'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL HE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HIM?"

"Is that really necessary?" Lionel hissed.

"YES, LIONEL," Drell spoke aloud, causing Lionel to burn with embarrassment and anger, "IT IS NECESSARY. AS ALREADY DISCUSSED AND VOTED UPON, EACH GUARDIAN MUST BE IMMORTAL SO THAT THEIR LIFE SPAN WILL LAST AT LEAST THE LENGTH OF THE ONE THEY ARE STANDING FOR. WHAT IS YOUR FINAL ANSWER, LEX LUTHOR?"

For the first time, Lex actually smiled. He didn't know what Clark's life span was going to be, because he had finally come to accept that Clark was not a normal human, and the pleasure it gave him to see his father acting the fool even more increased his smile. "Yes, I accept Immortality!" he told Drell.

Lionel hit the seat hard. "It's not fair!" he was heard to murmur by those nearest him. "No matter how hard I try to get Drell's favor, something always throws a monkey wrench into it, and now it's that no-good son of mine!"

Ursula looked over at him. "That's just the problem, Lionel. You have got a good son. If he was no good, you and he would get along." She was glad she was not closer to him as sparks could be seen shooting off from Lionel's head.

"ALL THOSE WHO APPROVE OF LEX LUTHOR AS THE GUARDIAN OF JOSEPH LEHNSHERR, SAY 'AYE'. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY 'NAY'." The voting passed quickly, and once more, it fell to Severus Snape to break the tie. Snape droned out with the same bored, sneering expression, "Aye," and Drell was forced to state that Lex was approved. "NEXT," he barked out.

"NEXT, AND LAST OF SABERHAGEN'S PEOPLE HERE," Snape called out, "WE CALL MINERVA MCGONAGALL."

Albus quickly left Charles' side to return to Minerva's. He took her arm and escorted her onto the floor. He looked up at the Council and defiantly stood beside her.

Severus looked at the couple, and his heart broke a little more, just as it always did when he saw Albus with Minerva. He began to read the list of crimes. Hers was far shorter than the others'. " . . . TREASON IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE, ESPIONAGE, EMBEZZLEMENT, EXTORTION, FORGERY, ARSON, FRAUD, BREAKING AND ENTERING, GRAND LARCENY, PSYCHOACTIVITY . . . " Of the very man whose arm you now clean to, you withered hag! " . . . SHOPLIFTING, RESISTING ARREST, THEFT . . . "

As soon as Snape had finished reading the charges against Minerva, Drell demanded, "WHO WILL STAND FOR MINERVA MCGONAGALL?" Part of Snape prayed that no one would, but he knew that some one would come forward. He waited with a sneer on his pale face.

This was the last one. The minute Jack heard this, his heart went to his boots. He had failed! Which one had they wanted him to stand up for? Surely not _her_! Her list had not been long at all, but yet she seemed to be very dear to the heart of Dumbledore. He did not move forward yet even though he knew it had to be her. He waited for Xavier to say something.

Charles remained silent but stared at Jack, wondering why he had not stepped forward yet. Had he changed his mind?

"MINERVA MCGONAGALL'S FATE GOING ONCE . . . " Drell announced.

Now? Jack asked Xavier in his mind. He did not want to get yelled at another time.

Yes, dear boy, yes! Charles exclaimed. If you are still willing . . . ?

"MINERVA MCGONAGALL'S FATE GOING TWICE . . . " Drell called, raising his gavel and fighting the urge to smile in hope that no one was going to come forward at the last minute as they had for Hook.

Snape looked down upon the Pirates and began to hope when he saw no one coming forward. His heart was in his throat as Drell began to lower his gavel. If no one stood for Minerva, Albus would be heart-broken, but he knew he could pick up the pieces! "MINERVA MCGONAGALL'S FATE GOING . . . "

"HOLD EVERYTHING!" Jack hollered as he raced forward. "I'LL STAND FOR HER!" He didn't know why they had wanted him to stand for Minerva, but he could now see that no one else wanted to stand for her and that was what the Wizards had feared the most. How hard could it be to stand for one woman? With any luck, he'd soon find out!

When Jack had started to move, Will had called out, but his call had been drowned out by Jack's yell. Now horror blanched his face, and his hand grasped the air behind Jack. "NO!"

"THAT DECISION IS NOT YOURS TO MAKE, TURNER," Drell was quick to tell the blacksmith. "JACK SPARROW," he called, turning his attention onto the irritating Pirate Captain, "YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH MANY TESTS WITH MINERVA MCGONAGALL IN ORDER TO PROVE HER INNOCENCE?"

"Yes," Jack was quick to answer. His eyes never left Drell even though he could hear Will fuming in the background.

Will hit his fist upon the wall in frustration. "Damn it, that was supposed to be me!"

Seeing the anguish on Will's face and hearing the dismay in his voice, Elizabeth stood from where she had been kneeling and keeping Donkey in line and hurried to his side, but when she touched his shoulder, Will turned away from her. He wanted no part of her right now. All he wanted was to find a way out of this nightmare and to take Jack with him.

"JACK SPARROW, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT THE SAME FINAL SENTENCE THAT IS CAST UPON MINERVA MCGONAGALL WILL ALSO BE CAST UPON YOU?"

"Yes," Jack said after deliberating a moment. He wondered what kind of punishment had been put upon Minerva. Old age, maybe? He didn't want to think about being old. Why, he knew when he grew old, he'd lose his sparkle, and he knew he'd have to put a lot more kohl on, but he figured he could still be the baddest Pirate ever! Will'd help him!

"JACK SPARROW, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT IF MINERVA MCGONAGALL IS SENTENCED TO REMAIN OLD AND INEPT IN THE BED CHAMBERS, YOU, TOO, WILL BECOME OLD AND INEPT?"

Will had not expected that. He stared at Jack and felt his knees buckle, but something caught him from underneath. Will stared past Donkey's long ears at Jack.

Inept in the bedroom? Jack thought. Well, I never was very good any way except with Will? Does that mean -- ? Oh, Hell, I guess it does! he told himself. "I understand, and I accept," he ground the last out between clenched teeth. He did not dare look at Will, who had somehow ended up sitting on Donkey.

"That's not good!" Eddie told Will. "We'll have to fix that last part!"

"I know that's not good!" Will exclaimed. "But how! How can we fix any of this!"

"I don't know," Elizabeth told him from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder, "but somehow, we'll find a way. I swear it, Will. I will not let this destroy your relationship with Jack!" She wondered if Gabrielle might have some kind of herb that could cure Jack's new inaptitude.

Jack cringed inwardly. Was he inept all ready? He didn't feel any different! He glanced at both of his hands, but they didn't look any older. He did not dare touch his face lest any eye that was not already on him would stare at him. His mind fidgeted so much that he almost missed the next question.

"IF THE SENTENCE TURNS TO DEATH, YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT YOU, TOO, WILL DIE?"

Jack almost burst out laughing on that one. In fact, he had to cover his mouth with his hand, trying to keep the laughter inside. Oh, if only they knew! he thought. It's impossible! However, aloud, he only said, "Yes." That was what he had to talk to Will about. Will was not going to like that Jack had kept secrets, but Jack had not realized that he was keeping secrets because it had only come to him recently. He was not sure if it was truly real or if he had only imagined it, but in the world that he lived in, Jack had come to believe more and more in things that, in the past, he had denied. This was just one more of them.

Will's eyes nearly popped out of his head as they flew wide at the sight of Jack covering his mouth with his hand. "Is he _laughing_!" he demanded heatedly, still not realizing that he was sitting on Donkey, who was doing all he could to keep standing underneath Will's weight.

Elizabeth's eyes also went wide. "Has he lost it?" she queried. "Is he . . . Has he gone insane!"

"YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT MINERVA MCGONAGALL COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

"Yes." Jack grinned at Drell. Oh, how delicious was his secret!

"MINERVA MCGONAGALL, DO YOU REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT ANY CRIME THAT JACK SPARROW COMMITS, YOU, TOO, WILL ALSO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR?"

Minerva was ready for her question and immediately answered Drell, "I do." Albus never ceased to amaze her, but when he had sworn to her that he would not let her down, she had believed in him, and now she realized his plan. She glanced at the long-haired man who was standing for her. The only thing about it that still surprised her was that he was using Pirates to achieve his goal.

"ONE FINAL QUESTION. YOU, JACK SPARROW, REALIZE AND ACCEPT THAT, STARTING FROM THE MOMENT THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTED AS MINERVA MCGONAGALL'S GUARDIAN, YOU WILL BE IMMORTAL UNTIL SHE IS EITHER FREED OR FINISHES WHATEVER SENTENCE, OR SENTENCES, BEFALL HER?"

Jack sobered. "Yes." He grinned up at Drell. "I do!" Then he looked at Will and winked.

As the voting quickly passed over the last one of Salem Saberhagen's people who would stand on trial that day, Will fumed. "How can he --! How can he just act as though he has not -- he has not just given up so much, as though it's some kind of game! I'll -- I'll -- " He rose from Donkey and started to rush at Jack, but Elizabeth threw herself on top of him and tackled him down onto the floor.

"Will, try to calm down!" she exclaimed, barely missing his flying fists. "I won't let you do anything you'll regret later! I'm sure Jack has a perfectly good explanation for all this apparent insanity! He usually does! He -- " Her exclamation turned into a screech as she found herself falling . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	22. Chapter Twentyone

**Chapter Twenty-one**

**An Island**

Rubeus had walked the beach over and over again, waiting. They had not given him a time, just told him to be there until the Pirates returned. In his pocket, he carried a necklace and a ring that he had to place on two Vampires when they arrived. He had thought several times about leaving because he was thirsty and had not thought to bring something to drink, and now his gut was rumbling. The afternoon had grown long and even hotter, and lunch was a long time ago. Sweat had poured down his huge body, and he was exhausted.

Were they not coming today? He was sure Dumbledore had told him it was today, but could he have somehow confused the message? Could it be tomorrow? He had been arguing with himself and had told himself he had made a mistake and vowed to leave as soon as the sun had gone down (Vampires should not be in any danger after dark) when numerous, shrill screams suddenly assaulted his ears. He looked up just in time to see the sky become darkened and loaded with falling bodies that immediately began dropping all around him. He side-stepped several of them only to have something heavy fall upon him and knock him to the ground. He pushed it off of him and looked at . . . a _donkey_! What was a _donkey_ doing here!

The donkey was looking at him. "Thanks, man, for breaking my fall!" Rubeus fainted, and Will screamed as the Giant fell on top of him.

"What's the matter with him?" Eddie asked, looking at the strange Giant dressed in enormous human clothing. "Somebody help me get him off of Will before he squashes him!"

* * *

**The Court Room**

Jack had just turned to look at Will's face to judge his reaction against the way he had been acting when, before his startled eyes, his family disappeared! His hand went immediately to where his sword should have been as he turned to face Drell, angry sparks shooting from his eyes. "WHERE ARE THEY!" he demanded even as he realized his sword was not hanging by his side as it should be and that he was what weaponless. He had had enough! If they thought they could take his family from him that easily, he had another thing to show them! Ol' crazy Jack would now truly become insane Jack and go berserk on Drell! He leaped toward the dai before Drell had a chance to react. His hand caught the bottom of the dai, and he began to pull himself up.

"CALM YOURSELF, SPARROW!" Drell demanded. "THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE WERE NO LONGER NEEDED AND WERE THEREFORE RETURNED FROM WHENCE YOUR LOT CAME FROM! _NOT_ THAT I NEED EXPLAIN MYSELF TO YOU!" he added haughtily. He had jumped to his feet and snatched his wand from his robes. He had it raised to attack Jack should the Pirate continue his climb when a fireball sailed just past his face.

"I WILL NAE MISS AGAIN, YE BLOODY FAT BASTARD! RETURN ME CAPTAIN TAE ME OR YE'LL NAE BE SIMPLY A POMPOUS ASS ANY LONGER BUT A _ROASTED_ POMPOUS ASS!" Both of Kathleen O'Hara's hands were raised, and fire blazed from her hands and flickered in her emerald eyes.

"Kathleen, calm yourself!" Charles exclaimed. "He speaks the truth!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, XAVIER! I'M DONE LISTENIN' TAE YER LIES!" She tossed a fireball in the Wizard's direction, and he hit the floor. The fireball passed over him so close it singed his robes.

As Charles was now under attack, thunder blasted through the room and lightning shot toward Kat. "Leave him alone, or by the Goddess, I will be your undoing, woman!"

Ace had already hit the floor. It was the only true safe place when Kat went ballistic with her fireballs. He looked around. Where the Hell was Clyde! Now he knew which Captain Kat was bellowing about, because both Captain and Clyde were missing! He knew she was not worried about the people. Not even he meant as much to her as that old, mangy cat! He could not believe that she had lobbed a fireball at Charles and had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing at the Wizard's reaction even as fire and lightning filled the room!

* * *

**An Island**

Clark had still been trying to tell himself that everything was going to be okay despite Lex standing for Joseph and that they would somehow, by some miracle, find a way to work things out when he had found himself falling. He'd somehow managed to catch himself in mid-air and had maneuvered around to land on his feet instead. He'd just started to look around when yelling and braying called his attention to Donkey who was prancing around something big. Clark looked puzzedly at the object, but it was only as he drew close that he was able to make out a . . . A _Giant_! His eyes widened, and then he heard muffled yelling. "Donkey, what's going on?"

"I scared the Giant, and he fainted right on top of Will! Will's down there!"

Looking down, Clark observed the situation . . . and noted a bit of dress poking out from underneath the Giant. "Something tells me he's not the only one." He knelt beside the mountain of a man and began to try to pick him up. "Fall back," he warned Eddie.

"Fall? Not me!" Eddie stated as he scrabbled backward.

Clark started to explain himself but stopped when he saw that Donkey was backing up nonetheless. Mustering all his strength, Clark finally managed to lift the Giant just enough that Will rolled out from under him, bringing Elizabeth with him. Both landed on the ground inches out from underneath the Giant just as Clark lost his hold and the Giant hit the ground again. He looked at where Will and Elizabeth lay, breathing hard. "Are you two all right?"

Eddie raced back up to Will and began sniffing him all over. His eyes rolled backward every time he saw the Giant. "Come on, Will! Get up, Will! You are all right, aren't you! What we gonna do with the Giant! Elizabeth, get up, Elizabeth!" He nuzzled her now.

Will's body was filled with pain, and he felt as though he'd been crushed. Still, all he could think was that he had to find a way to stop Jack from standing for Minerva, restore his senses to him, and somehow save his beloved. "Jack," he moaned as he struggled to sit up only to fall back down again.

Fresh screams suddenly filled the air, and Clark's head shot up. He looked first at Cordelia, whose screams were the shrillest, and watched her run toward . . . Angel! _Dear Gods, Angel was on fire!_

* * *

**The Court Room**

Jack continued his climb until the fireballs began to fly. He let go and dropped to the floor that seemed so far below. He knew better than to get between Kat and what she was aiming at. "You say you returned them from whence they came. Does that mean that they returned to the island?" he asked hopefully. He could not bare the thought that they had returned to the Piratess ships they had been on the day before.

Wolf crept over to help Jack get away from Kat's fireballs and Ororo's lightning bolts which now seemed to fill the room. One of the fireballs hit him in the tail, and he howled at the top of his lungs. "Wolf!" Jack asked in concern.

"_MY BEAUTIFUL TAIL!_" he wailed as he desperately tried to beat the fire out.

Jareth flew over beside Wolf and started helping him to put the fire out while Jack stood and called to his mother. "MOM, PLEASE! A LITTLE RAIN DOWN HERE? WOLF IS BURNING UP!" he pleaded. His voice could barely be heard over the cacophony in the room.

Jack's answer came not in a light rain but in a pouring of rain that pelted throughout the room. As fireballs struck all over the place, setting the court room to fire and barely missing the dodging Council members, Ororo's storm also continued to rage. Her lightning was directed at both the evil members of the Council and Kat, but her rain fell hard throughout the room, already beginning to extinguish the fires that Kat had started. Magnus, meanwhile, ran for Charles while others ran for cover and still others turned slowly where they stood, looking all around at the chaos and trying to figure out what was happening.

Of those who looked around, two saw the man who headed for Kat, and they reacted simultaneously, each running from their different spots in the room. Zora leapt in a streak of black and orange and knocked the cane from the magician's hands. It struck the floor and skidded across the slick surface. She turned back, growling savagely and her tail striking the air, but was a second too slow in her second attack. Another woman jumped him from behind, her hands going for his neck. "Try to stop me, will ya, ya fucking bastard! I'll break your damn neck!"

"OUR BOYS!" Smee wailed. "OUR BOYS ARE GONE! THEY TOOK THEM!"

Vang didn't bother to try to comfort Smee this time; instead, he headed after Zora before she could land in even deeper trouble.

In the midst of chaos, Captain Pryde tried to remain a voice of reason. She had grabbed hold of Sean, Emma, and Kurt and phased them with her so that the lightning and fire did not endanger them. She looked at Sean with rain going right through her face and called out to her people over the roar of activity. "I HATE THIS JUST AS MUCH AS YOU GUYS DO, BUT I DON'T THINK CHARLES WOULD LIE!" Lex stood dumb-founded at the chaos going on around him. Clark would love to see this, he thought, and get his hands into it! He wasn't sure which way to go, and then he saw Faith on Jafar. The cane! he thought. If I can get that cane from him, he will lose his powers! Jack will know what to do with them! He moved closer to Faith and Jafar, hoping that he'd get a chance to snatch the cane, but he didn't see the cane in Jafar's hands. Where was it! His quick eyes searched the floor and came to rest on the cane that had skidded to a stop against one of the walls. He raced for it and picked it up. It seemed to send shocks to his arm. He pointed it towards Jafar just as the cobra's eyes sparked, sending the sparks straight at Jafar.

Jafar had been fighting against Faith, his hands attempting to break her hold on his neck, when the glow of the cobra's eyes caught his gaze. He looked without meaning to and was immediately stilled. "Good shot!" Faith called to Lex even as she continued to squeeze Jafar's neck.

"ENOUGH OF THIS MADNESS!" The bold voice thundered through the room along with a new rush of winds that put out the remainder of the fires throughout the room.

* * *

**An Island**

Angel beat frantically at himself even as his eyes hunted for shelter and could not find any. He was running blind in his search, and as he ran, the flames licked at him even harder, forcing screams from him. The pain, dear Gods, was so excruciating! He feared he would black out before he could find cover. He felt hands beat at him, but he did not stop.

Angel was not the only one on the run. Spike also was running in a mad search for something to hide him from the sun. He longed for his duster and ached for Kyna, but he was on his own. Screams, yells, howls, roars, and coos surrounded the Vampires as did the hands of their allies trying to desperately beat out the flames. Those who knew they were Vampires understood exactly what the problem was, but all tried to help.

"Stop, droll, and roll!" Phoebe called out.

"That's not going to work!" Cordelia cried worriedly. "The sun's doing it to him!"

"How?" another asked.

"They're allergic to the sun!"

"They need shelter!"

"There's some trees up ahead - "

"That's not going to be enough!"

"Why do they need shelter again?" Jasmine's question brought frustrated exclamations but no answers to her.

"Prue, do you see anything anywhere? Maybe with your telekinesis, you could -- " Piper's words broke off into a shocked squeal as something shot out in front of her, blocking her from the Vampires.

Morph and Tom stretched their bodies, circling around the Vampires and coming up above them to put their own flesh and fur between them and the sun. They now had them covered, but what to do about the fire? Others dashed in from the small opening that the two men had left, and their hands beat frantically at the burning men.

* * *

**The Court Room**

"THE HELL IT'S ENOUGH! YE CAN TRY TAE STOP ME ALL YE WANT, YE DECREPT, OL' WIZARD, BUT IT DIN'T MEAN YE'LL GET ANYWHERE!" Kat threw a new pair of fireballs at Merlin but was then knocked to the floor by a lion. She glowered up at the big cat, whose tail struck the air.

"Will you attack me, as well, Kathleen O'Hara?" the lion asked, his voice calm despite the harried circumstances. Kat's eyes burned with fury, but she did not answer and made no further move to attack.

Ace breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that Wolf's tail was now out of fire and that Kat was laying still under Aslan's paws. He knew that there was no way Kat would ever attack Aslan. He had also known that the fight was inevitable. It had just been waiting for the right moment.

Lex immediately threw the cane to Jack, calling his Captain's name. Jack looked up and caught it just in time but held it as though he was holding a life snake. He didn't want the cane. He kept his eyes adverted away from the hated thing even as he held it at arm's length, wondering what he was supposed to do with the thing. Maybe Jareth could handle it? "Jareth?" he called hopefully only to see Jareth shake his head.

"I don't want that thing!" Jareth told him. "It's evil magic! Merlin?" Jareth asked hopefully. "How best to handle this instrument?" Out of all the ones that had been up in the dais, Jareth believed in him the most.

Merlin held out his hand, and the cane flew from Jack's hand into his grip. "Perhaps," Merlin observed dryly with a pointed look at Drell and those cowering around him, "we should have warned your group that the others were about to be returned, but others did not see the need to do so. I apologize for the unnecessary spook, but Charles . . . " His gaze went to where Magnus was carefully helping Charles to his feet, the same spot that Ororo was now flying to. " . . . speaks the truth. They are safe upon the island. We never would have returned them to those other ships, Captain Sparrow, even if they still existed. Aslan," he requested calmly, "will you let Miss O'Hara know we speak the truth?"

"They do indeed, my dear girl," Aslan told Kat, who was slowly relaxing underneath him. His eyes looked intently into hers. "You should know that I would never allow Captain, Clyde, or any other animal to be harmed as long as I have a say in the matter. They are fine upon the island, and you will be allowed to rejoin them as soon as the trials have completed, but not before."

Salem crawled out from behind James Hook and pretended that he hadn't really been hiding. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Faith and walked over to her. "You can let him go now," he told her. "It will be a while before he's able to do anything." He gazed into her eyes. "Faith?" It was as though the girl was a million miles away, and he wasn't really sure how to get her off of Jafar. He heard Lex move closer to Faith, and then he heard Lex talking to Faith.

"Let him go, little sister. He's not able to do anything more to hurt us." His hand reached out and gently touched Faith's shoulder.

Faith was intent upon her goal, however, and their words washed over her ears as she listened for the tell-tale crack of Jafar's neck. A long shadow fell across Lex, and Salem looked up with a nervous gulp. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Gandalf was not out for attack. "You will not be able to break his neck, Faith. We will not allow it. No matter how hard you strain, your hands will do no further damage to him."

Faith heard the Wizard's words and finally realized why squeezing Jafar's neck had become akin to squeezing a stone. "Fuck," she muttered and finally let go of him. Landing on her feet, she kicked Jafar in the rear for good measure. The kick sent him sprawling, and she turned to glare at Gandalf.

* * *

**An Island**

Amidst all the uproar, Rubeus sat up. "Damn! Dumbledore's gonna have my hide!" His voice rumbled to them as loud as thunder. "This was just what I was s'posed to prevent!" He gazed worriedly under the canopy.

Xena stepped forward, sword raised and pointed at the Giant. "Who are you, and who sent you?" Her hands were burned where she had beat the flames on her friends. "What do you want?" She did not lower her sword, whose return she was endlessly thankful for.

Rubeus held one big hand out to ward the woman off. "I'm sorry. I was supposed to be here to bring these to the Vampires." His other hand reached into his pocket and brought out the necklace and ring.

Xena looked at what the Giant held. "That's Angel's necklace," she stated. "How did you come to have it?" She did not recognize the ring.

"Like I said," Rubeus told her patiently, "Dumbledore's gonna be mad. I didn't know what time to get here, and I damn sure wasn't expecting a talking donkey! I guess the heat got to me, caused me to faint and think that the donkey was talking."

"No, we have a talking donkey," Xena told him with a wry grin. "His name's Eddie. Can I have those?" she asked, indicating the jewelry.

When Rubeus held his hand to where she could get the jewelry, she lowered her sword but still kept a wary eye on him. She carried the jewelry over to where the smoldering men lay and then slipped the necklace on Angel. "I guess this one was for you," she told Spike, took his burned hand in hers, and slipped the ring gently upon his finger. "Katrina?" she called. "Can you do something to help our friends?"

"With pleasure," she told her. "Celina?" she asked her sister. Katrina moved to Angel and touched him. Kneeling beside Cordelia, who was still weeping, she began to heal him.

Celina moved wordlessly up to Spike, knelt beside him, and touched her hands to him. She bent her head, spoke a silent prayer to Bast, and began the healing spell. Like the others, she had been at a lost as to how to save Angel and Spike, and she had been astonished and amazed that her husband and brother-in-law had come up with a plan all their own and acted so swiftly. She thanked Bast yet again for both of them and their quick, witty minds.

Cordelia watched through her tears as Katrina began to work on Angel, and she found herself praying to the Goddess Aphrodite to heal Angel. She remained beside his head, as close as she could get to him, but dared not touch him for fear that she might somehow interfere with the spell. Like the others, her hands were burned badly, but she did not give them a thought. She felt a hand upon her shoulder and looked up through her tears to see Lorne standing beside her with Blue hovering in the air just behind him and Elvira and Cindy standing near as well. Lorne nodded at her, and she knew then that Katrina's healing would work. She looked back down at Angel and waited and prayed.

In the midst of strangers, Rachel watched the scene unfold. No wonder Kitty had come to like these people so much, she thought, but what kind of allergy could these men have that allowed the sun to set them on fire? She recalled stories that both Cable and Kitty had told her and realized that they must be Vampires. Good Vampires! She marvelled at that thought. She heard Jasmine calling from the back of the crowd and asking what was going on and growled to herself. For a bit with a pretty face, she was definitely lacking a brain!

Cordelia glanced up at the sound of Jasmine's voice, a sound that was steadily becoming more annoying, and found herself not looking at Jasmine but rather at Connor and Frederic, who both looked scared. Connor appeared as scared as she was, and she thought the boy might even be crying. She held her arm out over Angel's body and opened her hand to the lad.

Connor looked across his father's body and smiled gratefully at Cordelia even as he reached out and took her hand. It felt so wonderful to have some one that cared! He knew he was lucky. Now he had three fathers and a mother even though Cordelia did not seem to be much older than he himself. He could scarcely believe that his new mother was a Princess! She certainly didn't act like any he had ever heard of.

He also smiled at Katrina even though he knew she was not aware of him, thankful that she was able to work on his father and heal him. Angel was beginning to look like his true self now instead of a black, smoldering shell of a man. He glanced over at his uncle and was relieved to see that he, too, was returning to his normal self. He didn't speak. He did not want to disturb the concentration, but one day, he vowed, he'd find a way to thank Katrina, who, by the way, was now also part of his family. His mind marvelled at that turn of events. He looked around for Zora and was shocked when he did not see her familiar face nor did he see Vang. His fathers were not there! Where was every one, and where were they! It was not very many of them under the canopy. They must be out there hiding somewhere; he just couldn't see them. He'd look for them later.

Lorne looked anxiously on while Angel was returning to his normal self. He knew Katrina could heal him, and it wasn't that he was worried that Angel might not recover. It was simply that a lot of time seemed to have passed since he had last seen Crystal, and he was worried about getting away from the Princess and the babies. They couldn't come with Angel and him; it would be far too dangerous for them. He knelt quietly beside them and waited, marvelling at how close Cindy had come to him and yet had not taken a bite out of him and was keeping Elvira between him and her. Was she getting over her hatred of men, or was she simply just tolerating him because, like herself, he belonged to Crys? Blue had finally settled on his shoulder and was now keeping a restless vigil.

Blue leaned forward and gently pecked at something around Lorne's neck. Lorne reached for the same spot, wondering what it could be to draw the little dragon's attention, and found a chain. Who had put this on him? he wondered, and his hand continued down the chain until it came to the amulet. He lifted it and gave a surprised gasp. Oh no! Crys, you didn't! he moaned to himself. He knew it was her only protection, and she had given it to him. He needed nothing further to tell him her intentions.

Blue cooed, and Lorne looked into the dragon's eyes. Their eyes wore the same worried expression, and for the first time, the two males needed no words to understand exactly what the other was thinking. They had to get to Crys and fast!

* * *

Seeing that Angel and Spike were now well on the way to being well again, Delvira slipped out of the makeshift canopy. She was passed by a blonde female she thought she'd seen aboard Destiny's Ghost and knew her sister was following her. Once outside, Elvira started to walk beside Delvira as they passed Jasmine standing with two cute men, both of whom were ignoring her completely and trying desperately to see inside the canopy. Delvira thought she recognized the guys also as members of the Ghost and figured they were straining to catch sight of the blonde woman and their First Mate to see how things were progressing. "Spike's coming along," she told them without slowing. "He should be well again soon."

"Did you see Trina?" the blonde man asked.

"Trina? Oh. That's right. You're Trent, aren't you? And she's your sister?" At the man's quick nods, Delvira assured him, "I think she was headed to check on Spike as we left. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see if I can figure out where we are. You two might want to look for your Captain. Have you seen Jareth?"

"Or Wolf?" Elvira queried. Gonk whined, and she reached down to pet him without ever thinking the poodle might be trying to tell her something.

The men shook their heads, and the sisters moved on. Piper watched them go before turning to her sisters. "Has any one seen Auntie 'Ro or Cole? I lost track of both with everything that's been going on." She frowned worriedly. She knew Cole was fine. She'd seen him since landing, but she hadn't seen Ororo since they'd been apparently tossed out of the court room. That thought worried her even more. They'd been bent on trying Salem and his people and keeping them there for that, so why had they suddenly been tossed out of the court room and where were they?

Cole suddenly appeared beside Piper and slipped his arms around her. "Only part of us are here, darling. I've been trying to locate the others, and I can't. But guess where we are?" he whispered so that only her ears could hear. He waited for her reply.

Piper leaned into Cole's embrace, enjoying the comforting feeling of his arms around her and his manly scent. She whispered in turn to him. "I don't know where we are, love, but I know there are some missing. Auntie 'Ro's among them. Do you know where we are? And why are we whispering?"

Prue had been sitting on the sand not too far from Piper. She could hear Cole talking but not make out what he was saying. Her eyes never left Brendan, who was pulled away from every one else, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. She did not try to approach him although she longed to reach out and touch him and would have tried it despite the fact that she knew he would have run if she had dared to approach him. Why were there so many of them missing? she wondered. She couldn't see Jack, Auntie 'Ro, . . . James Hook . . . She started going over in her mind those who she didn't see and realized that they must still be at the trial, so just where the Hell were they at now?

Her eyes went to the giant man, and she wondered what role he was to play. It seemed to be something important, because he was still there after having delivered the necklace and ring to the Vampires. She kept watching, hoping that the others would soon show up. She was tired beyond being tired, too exhausted for her mind to think clearly, and longing for home. Where was home? she wondered, losing track of the conversation floating around her and missing Phoebe's and Paige's demands as to what was so all-fired secretive that Cole and Piper were having to whisper about it.

* * *

Something wasn't right but very, very, _very_ wrong. Jack wasn't here nor was Prue's godmother, Ororo. Faith, Salem, and Lex were also missing as was Wolf, Jareth, Hook, Smee, Vang, Zora, Kyna . . . The list went on and on. Where were they, and where was here? The place smelled familiar, but he just hadn't been able to pinpoint it yet. He continued to sniff the air, trying to locate Jack's scent. He walked past where Delvira and Elvira were talking and examining some sort of portal that hung in the otherwise-empty air and past several different groups of people talking about the same things that he was wondering and worrying about. He continued on, sniffing the air for Jack as he walked, and still not finding any leads until he almost fell upon Elizabeth. He stumbled in the sand but caught himself.

Brendan sniffed the air again and finally caught a whiff of Jack's scent. Looking down at where Will and Elizabeth lay, groaning miserably, Brendan began to lower himself toward the sand. He sniffed around Elizabeth first and then moved toward Will. "Brendan . . . " the blonde called, " . . . what . . . What's going on?"

Brendan was about to answer her when a fist came flying and plowed directly into his nose. He fell back onto his rear with a sharp exclamation and held his nose. He looked at Will, who was suddenly sitting up and glaring at him. "If you're going to be snacking, go and find some one else! You're not having Elizabeth or me!"

Brendan stared at Will in shock. Then a deep sadness filled his eyes. Without a word, he stood and began to walk away. His pace quickened to a sprint and then to a run. He knew Will was right. Every second he spent around his family was another second he jeopardized their lives.

"William Turner!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "How could you? He's Jack's brother!"

"I know, Elizabeth, but he's also a Werewolf! You felt him sniffing of you!"

"I know. I was going to ask him what he was smelling for."

"Food, Elizabeth; food! He's a _Werewolf_!"

* * *

Trina had walked past those leaving the canopy to reach Spike. She had knelt beside him without saying a word and remained there now, keeping him company and wondering where Kyna was and why she wasn't with the man she loved. Thoughts of their union made Trina remember Andrew, and her heart again ached. She held her emotions stubbornly in check and ran a hand through her long, blonde hair. She'd let it all out eventually -- eventually when they were safe again, eventually when all this chaos had passed, eventually when she could afford the risk of opening up and . . . and crying.

"Sis?" Trent's voice as he stepped just inside the canopy was gentle and prodding but not pushy.

She looked up at him and could make Carlos' shadow out from where their best friend stood just outside. "I'm all right, Trent. I'm just keeping watch over Spike. Go on out and see if you can find Kyna. She should be here."

Trent nodded though he knew Trina wasn't all right and ducked back outside. She watched his shadow and Carlos' as the two held a whispered exchange before heading off to see if they could find Kyna. She sighed, and her blue eyes dropped back to Spike's face. He was only a shade paler than his usual now. It wouldn't be much longer at all, but she'd hold up here as long as she could. Hopefully, by the time she had to step outside again, she would have succeeded in pushing all thoughts of Andrew to the side once more. "Come on back," she whispered to Spike, her voice trembly from all the emotions that ran through her. "We need our First Mate."

Celina's eyes opened a moment, and as she continued the healing spell, she watched Trina silently. The other woman was in a great deal of pain right now, and Celina quickly came to the conclusion that Trina must have lost her own beloved the night before. The reminder that there had been those who had not been able to be saved pained Celina's heart even more, and she promised to say a prayer for them after she was done healing. First, however, she had to finish healing Spike, and then she had to heal those who had helped to beat out his flames, including Trina.

* * *

Rachel had left the canopy in search of Kitty but saw her nowhere. It took her a while before she caught sight of any one she felt even partially comfortable approaching, and when she finally did, he was standing by himself and also appeared to be looking for some one. "Seen Kitty anywhere?" she called to Wolverine.

* * *

Prue had been following one step behind Brendan. What was he looking for? she wondered. Then, when he zeroed in on Will, she realized he was hunting Jack. Before she could say anything, Will had struck, and Brendan had ran! She flashed an angry look at Will and told him, "You're wrong, Will! He didn't want to eat you or Elizabeth! He's looking for Jack!"

She didn't say anything else but followed behind Brendan. She wished there was something she could do to help the situation between Will and Brendan. She knew that Will had Brendan all wrong and only hoped that she would be there the next time that Will tried to kill Brendan so that she could stop him. That one brief moment of looking at Will cost Prue. She had no idea as to where Brendan had run to. She made her way slowly back to where Piper now stood still within Cole's embrace. She looked intently at Piper before saying, "Oh, if only we were home!"

Piper took one look at her sister and knew immediately that something had happened to make the situation even worse than what it had already been. "Prue," she asked without hesitation, "what happened?"

"Will hates Brendan. He thinks he wants to eat him, and Brendan would never do that." She sighed wistfully as she sat back down on the sand.

"We are home, Prue," Cole told her. "Just over that rise is the house."

Prue immediately jumped to her feet. "Then let's go home!"

Though Phoebe and Paige had jumped up, as well, and were happily and quickly agreeing with Prue, Piper held out a hand to still her sisters. "Not so fast. We still don't know what's going on here, and we don't know what's happened at the house while we've been gone. Prue, Brendan ran off, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did. He whimpered when Will hit him, and I don't know where he's run to."

Cole looked at Piper. "The house is fine. The Wizards did a good job. I'll go find Brendan. Y'all, start home." He leaned down and kissed Piper. "Welcome home, darling."

Piper returned Cole's kiss, and as they slowly parted, gazing into each other's eyes, she whispered to him, "Be safe, love, and don't forget the dinosaurs." He hadn't even left yet, and she was already worried about him. But she had to take care of the situation here with her sisters and Cole was a big, strong, and intelligent man who had taken care of himself long before she had ever come along. She turned to look around at the others. There was so much talking going on that it would take her shouting more loudly than she felt capable of doing right now to get their attention. "Carl, cover your ears." Putting two fingers into her mouth, Piper whistled sharply, using a method that her mother had often used to calm her sisters and make them sit down and behave.

* * *

Chong had not been paying much attention to anything around them. He had been too intent on trying to get Hansel's mind off of Derek. It had not worked. Somehow, the word "home" finally struck Chong's ears. "We're home?" he sat up, his nose twitching. Food! Maybe that will reach Hansel! Hansel had always loved his cooking. He then realized that he was still naked and that he would have to get clothes on before cooking. "Come on, Hansel; we'll go to my room!"

Hansel only sobbed even louder when Chong pulled away from him. "DEREK!" he cried. "I WANT DEREK! I ONLY WANT TO GO WHERE HE IS!"

Unseen by the others, a male sighed deeply, and the wings on his back shifted. He had been watching this couple for years, far before Hansel had ever fallen for Derek. He didn't like Chong or his cooking. Chinese always made him have to go to the throne room, and he'd came to detest the entire Chinese race because of what their food did to his system. Not that he should be eating it any way, being a God, but that didn't matter to him. Still, as much as he hated Chinese, he thought he knew what he needed to do now with the Chinese man and the one who had been his before he'd made him fall in love with another man. The male selected an arrow and strung it into his bow. He took careful aim and then let the arrow fly.

"Well, you need to come with me for now," Chong told him. "I need to get dressed so that I can cook dinner." He reached down, taking Hansel's hand and trying to pull him up. When Piper's whistle had gone off, Chong's eyes went to her.

Rubeus looked at Piper strangely. How could such a huge sound come out of such a mighty little woman? Had some one said something about food? His stomach rumbled, and a few sets of eyes looked toward the sky for signs of rain.

The shrill whistle brought immediate attention from Rogue, who had been standing beside Kennedy and supporting her. "Kenn, come with me, an' let's find out what's goin' on," she told her. Holding firmly to the girl, she led her over to Piper.

Autolycus had made his way over to Elizabeth's side. He had not seen the Giant sit on her and thought that Donkey had sat on her again. He had been about to call Eddie when Piper's whistle had erupted. Instead, he leaned down and assisted Elizabeth to get to her feet. When he saw that she could not stand on her own, he scooped her up, carried her into the canopy, and laid her beside Angel so that Katrina could work on her next.

Xena had been watching Autolycus, seen him pick up Elizabeth, and carry her under the canopy. She then went over and looked at Will. "Do you need a doctor?"

Will looked at Xena, and though she meant well, her words about a doctor made his mind immediately jump to the being who served as the Black Pearl's doctor. "I don't need Brendan," he ground out despite the pain and renewed his struggle to get up. "Where did Autolycus take Elizabeth? She needs a healer."

"You need a healer, too, my friend," she said as she assisted him to his feet. "I'll take you where Elizabeth is. Lean on me." She began to lead Will toward the canopy.

Will limped along beside Xena, relying on her strength more than he would have cared to admit, but did not argue with her. He thought back to Prue and shook his head sadly. If he didn't find a way to take care of Brendan, he would be the end of all those Will held dear, and he just couldn't let that happen, no matter how much he had the others fooled or how greatly Jack might hate him for handling the nightmarish situation. At least Jack hadn't seen what had happened, but where _was_ Jack? Will's mind flashed back to the court room, and fear welled in his heart. Had they taken him! "Xena, where's Jack?"

"They're not here," Xena told Will. "They kept them and threw us out. We can't get them back. We don't even know where they're at." She half-smiled at Will. "That won't stop Jack. Once he finds a way out, he'll be back. They'll regret they ever held him! And Faith too. Once they turn her aloose, may the Gods help them!" She eased him down to lay beside Elizabeth. She noticed that Celina and Katrina had moved on to others and were healing their hands and that Angel and Spike were now sitting up. "How are you?" she asked Angel.

"I've been better. Thank Gods for family!" Angel was now looking at a pair of legs that were bigger than anything he'd ever seen before except for the Giants they had fought two days before. "Who's that?" he asked Xena in a raspy voice.

"That is one of Dumbledore's." What had he said his name was? She couldn't remember. "He brought your necklace and Spike's ring. He's a friend."

Spike looked at Xena. "Did some one say we're home? Is this your island, and who is that?" he asked, looking up at the canopy.

"That is Morph and Tom, two of our finest." She smiled at Spike.

"Thanks, guys, for saving our lives! You can come down now!"

"And yes, we're home," Xena said, looking at Angel.

"Thank the Gods!" Angel replied. "Now to get our people back!"

The others drew closer to Piper to find out what was going on. Wolverine even turned startled eyes upon Piper. He looked at Ray and blinked once as though the daylight was so strong. "They're all gone. 'Ro, Kitty, Jack, even that blue Demon Kitty's in love with . . . I don't smell 'em anywhere." He felt his age more than anything. "I'll never see my 'Ro again!" His heart-broken voice wailed out.

Rachel had not expected to find Wolverine on the verge of breaking down, but she could tell that that was exactly what was happening. She quickly closed the distance between them and put her hands firmly yet gently and reassuringly upon his shoulders. "Look at me, Wolverine. Look into my eyes. I know we haven't known each other for long, but I know you love Ororo. You might freak out at me for this, but I love your daughter and, come Hell or high water, wherever they are, whatever's happened to them, I'm not going to stop until I get Kitty back. And _when_ I get Kitty back, we'll get the others back, too. We just have to find out what's going on first. Are you with me?"

Logan took a step backward and looked at Rachel in surprise. "I thought I smelled that on ya. I'm glad that ya love Kitty. I wish I knew what to do to help ya with yer problem. I know ya think ya should take yerself totally out o' the scene, but you're wrong. Kitty loves you, too, just not in the way ya want." Wolverine had never thought much about it one way or the other until he had been confronted with Jack and Will. Now he found that his mind was open to the possibilities. He would never tell Ray that it was wrong for her to love Kitty.

"Thank the Goddess you're not like yer father! An' thank ya fer bein' here fer me. I wish we could be there with 'em to help 'em, but all we can do is wait fer now. An' Hell no, girl, I ain't got no patience fer waitin', but I don't know which direction to go." He turned to look at Piper. "Well, what is it, girl? Spit it out." He did not shrug Ray's hand off of his shoulder but took comfort from it.

Nearby, but unable to get to his feet, Wesley groaned. The pain that racked his body continued to grow and make him throw up! He was so weak that he was not even able to cry out for help! When the retching finally stopped, he curled up and tried to listen to what was being said. Most of it didn't make sense. Piper's ear-piercing whistle drew his attention to her, and he reached out one hand toward her just as he passed out.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	23. Chapter Twentytwo

**Chapter Twenty-two**

**Not Just Any Island . . . **

"Si, senorita," another voice added from behind and slightly to the right of Piper, who was watching Morph and Tom return to their normal bodies and take long, luxurious stretches. "We don't take too fondly to whistlers, even if they are pretty." The jaguars that flanked Roxanne growled their agreement while Theodora merely looked lost and confused.

"ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, GATHER UP!" Piper called out. "I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SHOUT TOO LOUDLY, BUT YOU ALL NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL SITUATIONS HERE. FOR ONE, NOT EVERYBODY'S HERE. WHO EXACTLY ARE WE MISSING?"

But as the others started to gather together around the Halliwell sister who had decided to take it upon herself to take charge, one voice called out quietly. "Chong?" Hansel blinked up at him through the tears that filled his eyes. "Chong? Is that really you?"

"Hansel, yes, it's me!" Chong said gently as he reached down to his friend. He wiped the tears away from his eyes. "Are you okay?" He was surprised at the change that had come over Hansel, who was no longer screaming for Derek.

"No. Yes. No." Hansel looked lost, afraid, and quite possibly even sadder than before, but there was a new light in his blue eyes that came from a spark of hope and a trembling smile upon his full lips. "I don't know," he said at last. "I don't know what in the Hell's been wrong with me." He gazed at Chong, feasting his eyes upon the visage before him and thinking over everything that had happened between them and between he and Derek over the last several years. Exactly how many years it had been he didn't know, but he did know that he had been wrong in pushing Chong away; that he had hurt him so gravely, so terribly that he might never forgive him; that he really didn't deserve Chong's forgiveness but wanted it more than anything else except for one thing; and that that one thing he now wanted, and wanted so much before, was probably an impossibility because of his own stupidity. "I've missed you," he said at last. "I've missed you so much!"

Chong's heart leaped with joy. He could not believe the words that were coming out of Hansel's mouth! He wanted to ask, 'What about Derek?', but didn't dare disturb the spell. Some one must have grown tired of hearing Hansel cry and put a spell on him! He mouthed a silent, "Thank you", to his benefactor. He lowered his hand to Hansel and pulled him gently upward. "I've missed you too!"

Several eyes were glancing toward him and then back to Piper. They didn't want to miss the show. Why was the China man still naked? Once that was realized, several pieces of clothing were thrown at him. "Put that on!" several voices piped in with different accents and different wordings as they threw the object. Still holding tightly to Hansel, Chong turned to look at Miss Piper. "Go ahead, Miss Piper. What's going on?" He made no effort to cover himself.

"Chong," Hansel hissed, grabbing a torn and tattered jacket that some one had tossed their way, "you're naked! Cover it up!" He didn't want any one else, let alone the whole world, seeing the stallion that seemed to whicker for his attention. He desperately tore his eyes away. He shouldn't be thinking such thoughts of some one he'd hurt so terribly! He had no right!

"Chong," Piper agreed, "please cover up. Phoebe, Paige, advert your eyes, or do I have to do it for you?"

"But, Piper, it's _huge_!"

"_Phoebe!_" Piper and Joxer cried simultaneously.

"But it _is_!" Paige added. "If I didn't have Carl, I'd want a ride!"

"_Paige Halliwell!_" Piper's face turned beet red, and Carl's reaction, asking her if she truly didn't since she had him, only made her shade turn even brighter.

Cole shimmered back in front of Piper, his hand firmly grasping Brendan's arm. He wasn't about to let the young man get away from him again. "Now that we're _together_," he emphasized, "we can all listen to Piper before heading out to . . . home." He let the word sink in before turning his eyes on Piper and wondering why she was so red. Had he missed something? He looked at Chong, who had finally found something to put on but didn't have it on yet.

As Piper hid her face behind her hand so that Cole would not see her embarrassment, the Latina whose rudeness reminded her of Faith called out a warning to Chong, who Piper could not believe seemed to be making absolutely no movement to get dressed. "If you do not cover that disgusting thing, you impudent male, I will cut it off!"

Chong looked at the garment he held. "It won't fit," he said. "I have clothes in my room." He did hide himself by holding it in front of him, however. He continued to hold tightly to Hansel lest he disappear on him. He could hardly wait to get him back to his room and show him just how much he had missed him!

Looking for a way to change the topic and get every one's minds back on the matter at hand, Gabrielle queried, "Did you say we're home?"

"Yes, we are home," Piper answered, "and the house has been checked out. It's safe."

"Then what are we doing here?" Jasmine asked.

"We still have several situations that must be addressed, and I doubt there's a single room big enough in the house to fit us all into it. Now, from what every one's said, it sounds to me like the ones who are missing are those who are being tried or are standing for those being tried. Unfortunately, if this is the case there's not much that can be done to help them yet, but perhaps those who are adept at such things as telepathy and . . . " She paused, searching for a word she seemed unable to retrieve. " . . . and using objects like crystal balls to watch others in other places can see if you can locate them once we are all in the safety of the house?"

"The house, as I've already said, has been checked out and is safe. We'll head there soon enough, and, forgive me for overstepping any boundaries here, but I do believe the Captains will agree that all those from Destiny's Ghost and the other rescuing ship are more than welcome there as are the others who were held captive aboard the enemy ships. Chong, after you get dressed, I want you in the kitchen. It's been a long time since any of us have eaten, and we need to prepare a meal. Which," she added, looking at the Giant who she had heard had been sent by Dumbledore, "if you're staying, you're welcome to partake in."

"But there are two other things I've noticed that I don't know if the rest of you have taken notice of or not. There's a portal right there," she pointed at the portal beside where Delvira, Elvira, and Gonk were staying.

"The portal's fine. Those who need it know what it's here for. I created it, so I should know," Delvira informed the crowd. "The rest of you, just stay clear of it."

"Okay, but does any one know anything about the mirror hanging in the air near the shoreline?" Piper asked, pointing toward it.

All eyes turned to look at the mirror, and Cole turned a paler shade of pale. "Jack got rid of that a long time ago!"

"No, he didn't," Angel told him, "but he did cover it. It went to the bottom of the ocean with the Pearl!"

"It's evil, pure evil!" Cole exclaimed. "Don't touch it!" Brendan, too, eyed the mirror with extreme apprehension. His eyes narrowed, and he paled. He reached out, without looking anywhere but at the mirror, and put a hand on Prue's shoulder. "Prue, get yourself and your sisters to the house, and don't let them leave there for anything!" His eyes were still glued to the mirror, where a green face was beginning to form.

Men and women screamed alike at the face that appeared in the mirror. "I resent that comment, Cole Turner."

Piper heard a thud beside her. "Joxxy!" Phoebe exclaimed, and Piper knew that Joxer had fainted.

Rubeus looked dubiously at the mirror. "Where'd you come from," he asked, his eyes growing big, "and who do you belong to?"

Cole looked intently at the green face before snatching Piper and shimmering, never realizing that he was still hanging onto Brendan. The minute they appeared in the house, both Piper and Brendan whirled on Cole. "_Cole!_"

When Cole looked at them as if to ask what he had done wrong, Piper exclaimed, "My sisters!"

Brendan almost shouted, "Prue!" His hand had left her shoulder a mere second before Cole had shimmered them.

"I'm going; I'm going!" Cole told them and shimmered back. Seconds later, Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and Joxer appeared in the room. Joxer was still out cold.

Chong had taken Hansel by the hand and ran, and they didn't stop until they reached Chong's room where Chong promptly divested Hansel and began to show him just how much he had missed him.

Rogue flew, holding Kennedy close, to the house. She didn't know what it looked like, but she knew the direction every one else was fleeing in.

Piper looked up from where she had been watching Phoebe trying to revive Joxer at the sounds of slamming doors and screaming people. "Looks like they found the house." Paige giggled nervously, but the cut of Piper's eyes in her direction quickly silenced the redhead.

Soon, only Rubeus stood, looking at the mirror. "Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?" he asked him. "How'd you get away from there?"

* * *

**The North Pole**

The silence in the woods would have been almost deafening if not for the cacophony of voices in her head. With each step she took, they seemed to grow even louder. There were her parents, arguing over her; telling her what an awful, awful child she was, what a huge disappointment she was, and how much they wished they had never had her. There was Santa, telling her that she was the only child who had never, ever deserved any presents or happiness and banishing her from the North Pole. There were the frightened whispers she'd received from Elves, reindeer, and even the mice. There were the three bumbling Elves, who seemed to be practically falling over their selves in their effort to escape her -- she who had befriended them all those years ago when their tall statures had made them outcasts from the rest of the Elves.

Then there were the Pirates, the friends she'd finally found in the last few days, the family who had taken her in as one of their own even despite knowing the danger she brought into their lives and seeing it upclose. Strongest of these voices were the two most incredible men she had ever met. One was Angel, the Vampire with a heart of gold, strong shoulders soggy from her tears, and the steadfast persistence that she stay and they somehow defeat Frostbite together. He was as much her brother as Jack, whose voice putting the pleading words to the way he'd looked at her the last time they'd been together, also resonated passionately through her head. Though he was her cousin by blood and Angel and she were not even related, both men were her brothers, and she knew both were beside themselves wanting desperately to help her but neither knowing how.

There were only four voices stronger than Angel's and Jack's in her head and, if she dare admit it, heart. Three of those belonged to her babies, the four-legged best friends she had taken care of throughout almost all their lives as their mother and whom she loved just as much as any mother or sister ever could have. She would have given her life long ago to save those animals if only she'd found an answer then and managed to leave them with some one who would care for them as greatly as she did. Unfortunately to Crys' way of thinking, but fortunately to others', it had taken her over two hundred years to find such a loving, courageous person.

And his was the strongest voice of all. Always, always, there was Lorne, begging with her to return to him, telling her how much he loved her, wondering why she'd left him now after all the damage that Frostbite had already done and all the lives he'd taken, if she had perhaps finally "come to her senses" . . . Nothing could have been further from the truth! She knew that, but she also knew that she had to act the part if she was to save him and them. She had her plan, and she had to stick to it. Her departure would cause them all pain, but she had no other choice. She had had no other choice but to leave them and still had no other choice but to act according to her plan if she was to keep her horrible uncle from going after them. She knew Frostbite was not above going after them even if she was no more. He'd find a way to hurt them, to kill them, just to make her miserable in the after life. She had to convince him that they were a waste of his time, and there was only one way to do that.

Shifting the position of the heavy gun she carried so that it weighed more on her left arm whether than her right, which was starting to go to sleep underneath its bulk, Crystal cried out again. "FROSTBITE! DAVID FROST, SHOW YOUR UGLY BUTT ALREADY! I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY! WHAT IS IT? YOU STILL CAN'T LEAVE THOSE PATHETIC PIRATES ALONE? DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE STILL MESSING WITH THEM! THEY'RE NOT EVEN WORTH _MY_ TIME, SO WHY WOULD THEY BE WORTH YOURS!"

Her only answer as she plodded along was the wind whistling through the tall, silent trees. She knew that every one of those trees had spirits and had talked to many at one time, but they all chose to ignore her this day or night. It had been too long since she'd been at the North Pole; she could no longer tell the difference in the time when it was always so dark. "I NEVER PEGGED YOU FOR A COWARD!" she tossed out even as she thought that it was good that the others could not hear her now.

Her words would hurt them, she knew, but she had no other choice. What she spoke aloud was as far from the truth as the thoughts that would undoubtedly come to Lorne of her having returned to her senses and ran away from his green skin. She had never known green could be such a beautiful shade, but on him, it was. From the very first moment she'd met him, she'd been drawn to his green skin, and if things had been different, she would have gotten to lick him and taste the texture of his skin. She would have known what it tasted like, could have licked him from one inch to the other . . . could have shown him the love that swelled in her heart, bursting like a toy balloon that an Elf had put too much air in . . . could have proven to him that she loved him, regardless of rather he was green or blue or had pink polka dots or purple stripes or yellow checks . . .

But it could not be. And there was no choice. She had to do this. She had to save them, and there was only one way to reach that goal. Only one way. "FROSTBITE!" she roared. "YOU WANT ME! COME AND GET ME ALREADY, YOU OLD GEEZER!" Of all the times she'd fought him before, she had never dared use such language before, but she had to draw him out. She had to draw him to her. She only prayed that he was not already upon the Pirates, her Pirates, her people, her family . . .

* * *

**The Island . . . **

Not too far away, Angel had barely managed to catch Lorne's sleeve and keep the green Demon from running away. Angel looked around and, not seeing Cordelia or the babies, he figured they had fled to the house. He led Lorne over to where he had last seen Delvira and Elvira talking. "Is that it?" he asked her.

"Yeah, this is it. Maybe I should come with you boys?" Delvira had not even thought about running while the others had fled and still could not understand why they had. So there was a green man talking back to them from the surface of a mirror? Big deal!

Angel had not thought about Delvira coming with them. He now thought about it. "Somebody has to stay here who can get us back. That was my next question. How do we get back? If you come with us, that might solve one problem, but it might be easier if just Lorne and I go. Can you get us back if you don't come with us?" His eyes kept going to the shimmering hole.

"I can, but it might not be at the exact time you want to come back."

"Good diversion, by the way," he told her, indicating the mirror.

Delvira shook her head. "It wasn't me. The thing's alive. Big whoop!"

Angel's eyes got a little wider, and so did Lorne's. "Did it come from Hogwarts?" he asked, looking back at Rubeus, who was still engaging the mirror in conversation.

The man in the mirror sighed. "As I was telling Rubeus here, old chap, Dumbledore sent me. He said your people would have use of me and that I might actually be deployed for something," he sniffed disdainfully, "_decent_. As though I've only ever been used for evil. Just because I hung in the Slytherin hallways at one time . . . And even that was his idea. I could have hung in Gryffndor or Ravenclaw or even Hufflepuff, but oh, no, the old man had to put me in Slytherin! But I don't complain. He's the one who does all the complaining and thinks no one knows!"

Wolverine drew ever closer to the mirror. He had not ran when the others had ran. He gazed into its dark, murky depths at the green man. "What are you then? A portal? Can you take me anywhere I want to go?"

Rachel, who had taken the hint Wolverine's lack of fleeing had given her without meaning to, looked sideways at the grey-haired man and wondered if he was thinking what she was thinking. "Dumbledore said that the trials mustn't be intervened with," the mirror responded.

"I didn't ask you that. I asked you if you'll take me anywhere I wanted to go? Are you telling me that you won't take me to Jack or that you can't take me to Jack?"

"There's no one I can't take anywhere," the mirror answered haughtily. "There's simply places that I won't go."

"I didn't ask you to go," Wolverine told the mirror. "I asked you to take me there. Will you or won't you?"

"I won't."

Rachel considered the mirror while keeping a tight lid clamped down upon her frustration. She could tell Wolverine wasn't far from popping a claw but dared to lay a hand on the very hand he started to raise. "Can you at least _show_ us what's going on then?" she queried. "Not take us. Just show us."

Angel considered what Wolverine and Ray were trying to do. He wished them the best of luck, but he had to concentrate on his and Lorne going after Crystal. It would be easy for the two of them to blend in and hide, but it would not be easy for Delvira to hide. Her slinky, black dress would stick out like a sore thumb. "You will need to change clothes, Delvira, if you come. Else, every man sees you will want you for himself, and Lorne needs something warmer. Can you conjure us some supplies?" He did not say weapons, because he knew of no weapon better than his own hands.

"Good thinkin', girl," Wolverine told Ray. "Can you show us?" he added his question to Ray's.

"Let me see," Delvira told Angel. "Give me a moment to think here. I usually stick to my same dress, so it's been a while." She would never have thought about conjuring a change of clothes if not for Angel's suggestion, but now she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She began to chant, and her black eyes flew open as Lorne's clothes began popping like they were about to explode and instead began changing. His new outfit was made of a thick, heavy flannel and consisted of a yellow sweater, green pants and coat, and matching boots. A green scarf appeared out of thin air and wound itself around his neck. A fedora plopped onto his head out of nowhere.

Without making a comment, Delvira closed her eyes and, still chanting in the Goblin language she had picked partially because it was one language she knew that neither Angel nor Lorne would ever understand and because it was the language of the spell Jareth had taught her to use for a quick change of fashion, began to concentrate on the one person whose presence the men had not the first clue of. Delvira knew the girl was there, though, and would never have forced her to leave them for she knew how desperately she ached to be with her own man. Cordelia's gasp would have given her away if Blue had not quickly covered her mouth with his wing.

Rachel peered even closer at the mirror. "Well?" she questioned it. "Is it beyond your capabilities or not?" It was then that she felt talons touch her shoulder. Looking up at the purple dragon, Ray told him, "I'm trying to find out, 'Heed, but evidently the mirror just can't do it."

"Of course I can do it! I just had to get a bead on the location, is all! The court room's constantly moving around, and there are so many spells hiding it that very few can find it! But I can find anywhere, anything, and any one!" The image of the head began to flicker and then vanished entirely to be replaced with the scene in the court room.

"As for my clothes," Delvira finally spoke in English again as she reopened her eyes, "they're fine. I don't tend to change my dress for any one other than my husband, and if you really think you're going to blend in, Angel, you're way dumber than I would've thought. Where you're going isn't a place that a Vampire or a green-skinned Demon will be able to blend easily into. Besides, if my guess is right, Father Christmas already knows Crystal's there, and since she went there for You-Know-Who, he probably already knows so too."

Rubeus whirled around, his eyes wild and his face pale. "You-Know-Who!"

"Not that You-Know-Who," Delvira answered him. "Another You-Know-Who."

"There's another You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, and not the one that starts with a V."

"Nope. This one starts with a F," Angel told him. "I was just a little concerned that you might freeze. The temperatures there are rather freezing. Is Elvira coming, too?"

Delvira looked at Angel. "Angel, I'm a Vamp. I might not burn in the sun like you do, thank Gods, but I also don't feel the temps, just like you. As for Elvira, to put it simply, no. She split with the rest of the idiots when the mirror started talking."

"Well, I guess it's us, then. Does she know we're going, and can she tell the others?"

Delvira shook her head. "She doesn't know. If she did," she rolled her eyes, "she'd probably be trying to come, and I don't think that's a good idea."

Wolverine had not taken his eyes away from the mirror. He could see Jack, and he could see Drell's mouth moving. Jack did not seem to be any worse off than when he had last seen him. He looked for 'Ro and saw her standing. His hand reached out and touched the mirror, without realizing it, where 'Ro was.

"Hey, man! Watch your hand! It's cold!"

Wolverine pulled his hand away as though he had been burned. "Where you goin'?" he called to Angel. "Ya can tell us, an' we'll tell the others when they start askin'."

"We're going after my sister. We're going to bring her back."

"Good luck," Wolverine called to him. "You're gonna need it. That's one feisty little girl."

"I'm not coming back without her," Angel told him.

"Neither am I," Lorne proclaimed.

"Spiffy outfit, Lorne," Wolverine called over. He really didn't like the shades of green and yellow, but he knew Lorne probably loved them. Wolverine also knew that Cordelia was hiding because he'd smelled her, but he wasn't about to give her away. "Most o' our women are feisty," Wolverine told Angel. "I don't need to remind ya o' that. They're strong like we are. They're survivors. Everything'll be all right, but if ya need us, send us some kind o' message."

"Just concentrate on talking to me," Rachel volunteered, looking at Angel. "Any friend of Kitty's Dad is a friend of mine, so I'll be there for you. My name's Rachel Summers, and I'll leave my brain open." She winked at the Vampire.

Rubeus looked through the darkness at Angel. "You're going to see Santa? He really exists? I always thought he did," he said rather defiantly. "Will you bring me back something from the North Pole?"

"Sure, Rubeus. What do you want?"

"A pet."

"Like you don't already have enough?" the mirror commented dryly.

"I don't have one from the North Pole!"

"I'll bring you back something that can survive here," Angel promised him. With a final look around, Angel stepped through the portal. Lorne followed him.

When Angel had taken a final look around, Cordelia had frozen. She could feel the babies all pressing into her back, but she just knew that Angel was going to spot her and it was all going to be over. He'd never see reason and let her accompany him. Yet Angel looked right through her and did not speak a word. Cordelia watched and waited as Angel and Lorne jumped and then breathed a sigh of relief and walked out of her hiding hole. She looked at Delvira. "Thanks." She smiled wistfully at Wolverine. "You too. You guys knew I was here, yet -- "

"No time to talk, girl," Delvira told her. "Your invisibility shield's lifted." She had spoken the backwards chant right after Lorne had leapt. "And the portal's starting to close now that Angel's gone through. If you're coming, you'd best come." She jumped, and Cordelia followed with Blue, Cindy, and Elvira hot on her heels. The portal closed just at the end of Elvira's bushy tail, and a few gray hairs fell to the ground.

Rachel looked back to the mirror. She had held her breath when Wolverine had touched it earlier, but his hand had not passed through like she had hoped. The mirror appeared to be as smart as they were, after all, but at least now they could see Kitty and the others and know that they were all right. Ray sighed as Drell continued to run his mouth. "I wish we could hear what was going on."

"Can ya give us sound?" Wolverine asked the mirror. "And do you have a name? I hate to keep calling you Mirror all the time. That's what you are, but that's not your name."

"I am called Mirror, but when I was a human, my name was Phillip."

"Then we'll call you Phillip," Rachel told him, not wanting to dwell on the fact that the thing before her had once been a human. "Now how about that sound?"

Drell's mouth suddenly sounded. "For your first trial, Faith and two of her choice must fight Salem's previous guardians for the ownership of the cat."

"I am a man, you stupid -- !"

"SILENCE!" Drell barked, and Salem hushed immediately. Faith reached out and stroked him. "So I gotta take the bitches down?" She grinned. "I can't wait to cut their throats!"

"You must not kill them, merely defeat them."

* * *

**The House**

"It's amazing!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "It seems even grander than before!" She stopped at a doorway and stared up at it. "The doors have name plaques on them! This one's got my name! And . . . " She read the name, then stopped and smiled a mixed smile of both shyness and slyness.

"And what?"

Elizabeth looked at Autolycus and grinned. "And Autolycus'."

"Does this mean I get to sleep in your room?" Autolycus had not left Elizabeth's side again and still could not believe that it had been a Giant, instead of Donkey, who had fallen on her. He was thankful his beloved was alive and well again. Everything seems to fall on her! The house is gonna get her yet! He looked cautiously around, expecting danger at every turn.

Elizabeth smiled up at Autolycus and batted her eyes. "Evidently." She lightly bit her bottom lip.

"Why don't we check it out?" he slyly asked her.

"Will, are you going to be all right . . . "

"I'll be fine," Will assured her with a forced smile that the others did not realize was forced. "You two go on and have some fun, but remember, Autolycus," his smile vanished, "if you break her heart, I'm coming after you."

"If I break her heart, I'm coming after me, too," he told Will with a mischievous wink even as he picked Elizabeth up and carried her over the threshold. He pressed his lips gently to hers and used her feet to close the door.

Will continued on down the hallway but suddenly stopped. "Eddie, do you hear something?"

His long ears braced forward. "Somebody's talking," he whispered. "Sounds like that damn Drell! How could he be here!" He bumped up against Will. "I'll protect you, Will."

Will shook his head. "It couldn't be Drell," he argued against both their ears. "He wouldn't be here. He's still giving poor Jack and the others Hell." And just why in the heck did Jack have to stand up for that old crone, any way? he thought for the thousandth time. Aloud, however, he simply said, "I think we should find our room and lay down for a bit, Eddie. What do you think?"

"Sounds like a good idea, but how will we find it? I can't read."

The voice seemed to drone on and on and was getting even louder, but Eddie still couldn't understand what he was saying. Will also heard the voice but tried desperately to ignore it and tell himself that it was merely fatigue playing tricks on his mind. "Neither can I," he commented.

"Maybe it's your old room? You know, Jack's room?" Eddie raced toward the door where there was a plaque just like it had been on Elizabeth's door. Only her name was long, and the two names on this plaque were short. "Open it up, Will. Look inside. See if any of your stuff is in there."

Will had followed Donkey at a distance and had been trying to ignore the voice that seemed to be growing persistently louder. As he neared the door, the voice seemed to separate and sounded more like several voices. At least three, he found himself thinking. Drell, Lex, and . . . Jareth? Why was he even thinking about that one? Lex was a good friend, so he could understand that. And Drell was one of the wicked lot threatening to make their lives living Hells, so he could understand hearing his voice, as well. But Jareth's? He'd barely spoken to him since crashing onto the island.

Will grasped the door knob and turned the door. It swung open, and both he and Eddie peered cautiously inside. They looked one way and then the other. Then their eyes fell onto the huge bed that seemed very inviting . . . and brought memories immediately to Will's mind. "That's our bed," he said and moved inside.

Before he could close the door, a streak of lightning passed him on the floor and headed straight for the voices. Willow had arrived! Where's Jack? he thought. He walked up to the strange mirror, recognizing the ones that were on there. Why had Will not looked over there? Couldn't he hear the voices? "Mrrow?" he asked, looking at Will who had fallen across the bed without shutting the door.

Eddie was the only one who was awake to hear him. "You'd best wake your boy up!" Willow told him. "That's the trial! I don't know how we're seeing it and hearing it. Jack's there! See!" Willow jumped high and slapped at the mirror with a paw. Sure enough, there was Jack Sparrow's face!

"Damn!" Eddie said. "Oops! I forgot I wasn't supposed to say that! Will! Wake up, Will!" Eddie called, his head hanging over Will. "You've gotta wake up! Jack's here!"

"Jack?" Will murmured sleepily.

"Yes! Jack! I just saw him!"

"Mrrow!" Willow repeated and then reached out a paw and tenderly touched Will's cheek.

"Tellim . . . Tellimhe'sanidiot . . . "

"You tell him! I don't think he can hear me!"

Then another voice entered the room. Willow had returned to the mirror and was about to pop it again. If he could get his claw around Jack Sparrow, he'd pull him through there! "Ouch!" Phillip announced to the room, specifically to the cat. "Do not hit me again! That hurt!"

"Mrrw?"

Eddie trotted back over across the room to the mirror and looked at it. "Can he hear us?"

"Can who hear you?" Phillip asked.

"Jack Sparrow, of course! Tell him he's an idiot! Will said so!"

"I can't interrupt the trials," Phillip told him, "but I'll get the message to him soon."

Wolverine growled.

"Ooo! Are we getting dangerous?"

"Ya can say that again!" a voice exploded from the mirror. "Ya tell that big-eared blacksmith that my son's not an idiot!"

"Wolverine!" Eddie questioned, his voice going higher. "Are you in the mirror?"

"No, you long-eared ass; I'm watchin' it just like you are! Where the Hell are you, any way!"

"That's not fair t-to ca-call me names! I only repeated what Will said!"

"Phillip, don't ya dare repeat that to Jack! He might be an idiot, but he's a brave man! Don't make him lose face in front o' the others! If Will no longer has faith in him an' he can call him an idiot, that's different! After all, they're lovers, but nobody else must lose faith in the Captain!"

"I didn't say I lost faith in him," Eddie continued to sob rather loudly.

"I apologize, Eddie," Wolverine told him, "an' don't ask fer it again. Where is Will any way?"

Donkey's crying had been bringing Will around when he heard Wolverine demanding where he was. "Will's trying to sleep," he muttered, rolling over and opening his eyes. He looked at Eddie's rear end but didn't see the mirror yet. "Eddie, what does Wolverine want?" Then it dawned on him that Eddie wasn't anywhere near the open door, and Will frowned in confusion. "Where _is_ Wolverine?"

"I'm over here, ya big oaf, in the mirror!"

"The mirror?"

"Stop callin' my son an idiot!"

"I didn't call Jack an idiot!" Will exclaimed. Wolverine's accusation made him sit bolt up right, and it was only then that he saw the mirror. "Holy -- !" he breathed. Sliding off the bed, he began to inch slowly closer. "What kind of magic is this?"

"I am an enchanted mirror," Phillip told Will proudly, "and if you shut up, sit down, and watch, you will see Jack. How can one little man inspire so many people to be interested in him! I just don't understand it!" Phillip muttered to himself. "Too much makeup! Some one must talk to the man about makeup!"

"Jack is the most breath-takingly handsome man in all creation!" Will heatedly defended Jack. "What does a mirror know about good-looking men, any way! And, besides, I thought we left you on the beach!"

"That's where we are," Wolverine told Will. "Ray, Rubeus, an' I are watchin' the trials. We can't go there, but seein's the next best thing."

Willow had grown quite tired of the conversation and had climbed on to Jack's side of the bed, circled three times, and then began to knead. Eddie asked him what right he had on the bed. "This is Jack's side of the bed," Willow told him. "I'm keeping it warm for him."

"This might not even be our room!" Eddie told Willow.

"What makes you say that? I smell Jack all over the bed! I take that back," he said as he sniffed Will. "I smell Jack all over Will." Willow got down from the bed and walked over to the door, which was still open. He looked at the plaque. "It says Jack & Will, but your name ain't on there and neither is mine! But that's okay! I go where my human goes!"

"So?"

"Therefore this is my side of the bed. That's your side of the bed." Again, Willow climbed up onto the bed and settled himself in. Eddie crawled up on Will's side of the bed, his eyes intent upon his boy, who was staring holes in the mirror and looked like he couldn't decide if he was going to attack it or jump out of his skin. The last thing Eddie saw was Will's moment of indecision before he shut his eyes. His snores joined Willow's.

Willow's last coherent thought was that he simply must teach that jackass to read. He knew that Jack and Will could not read but figured they'd never listen to him enough to know what he was saying and that he could never teach them to read. Now, on the other paw, Eddie might just have enough brains to learn.

* * *

**Chong's Bedroom**

Their hands were all over each other before they ever shut the door, and when they did, it was Chong who swiftly kicked the door closed with his bare foot. The door slammed shut, and neither man noticed the slight splintering of wood or heard the sound of a new name plaque falling against the door. Chong's hands quickly stripped off Hansel's shirt, and as he tugged it off over the blonde's head, the other man's hands went to the buttons on his own trousers. He pushed his pants down and quite nearly jumped out of them. The men threw the clothes to the floor and fell against each other, their tongues thrusting against each other as their hot mouths kissed one another with ever-growing passion. Their tongues dueled as their mouths sought to outdo each other and their hands freely roamed one another's bodies, stroking and caressing each inch they came across.

They half-stumbled, half-ran backwards for the bed, but as they backed toward it, something bumped the back of Hansel's leg. Neither saw what it was even as they toppled downwards. As Chong landed across Hansel, their steeds touched and began to rub. Yells of pleasure erupted from their mouths, and Chong's mouth turned to Hansel's chest as the blonde's sought out the China man's neck. Tongues licked, and teeth grazed and gently nipped. Their swords rubbed together with a feverish need to be one.

Neither man dared let thought interrupt, soil, or spoil their union. They had waited too long for this, needed and wanted each other too greatly, and would let nothing risk ruining their reunion. Chong raised above Hansel, slightly surprised that the blonde was letting him be the one on top, and then began to sway and slide against him as he worked on maneuvering his stallion at just the right angle. As Chong found the place he sought and slipped inside the warm hole, Hansel yelled with delight, grabbed his rear with both hands, and yanked him down further.

Their mouths again found each other, and they returned to kissing and caressing wildly. Their bodies bucked against each other, aching and yearning to be as close together as was possible, and as Piper wondered what was keeping Chong and an unseen male laughed and left the two alone at last, they found the union they'd both been aching for for so long. They began to ride the waves together, thrusting and crashing more and more wildly. They slid carelessly across the floor, hooked together and one at last, crashing into objects and hollering their delight in between kisses. Neither had ever wanted anything more than they wanted this, and though their lives had been Hells as of late, they suddenly found Heaven in each other's embrace . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	24. Chapter Twentythree

**Chapter Twenty-three**

**The Island**

Yells, screams, squeals, and even an occasional yodel shattered the quietness that had fallen over most of the house. People looked up with questions in their eyes. Some laughed out right, and others chuckled and giggled behind their hands. In the kitchen, Piper looked at her sisters with warning eyes and glanced meaningfully at the soap that was normally used to wash the dishes. The youngest Halliwells raced from the room and erupted into laughter.

In Will's bedroom, however, Donkey and Willow slept on, and it was only Will who heard the raucous racket and wondered what was happening and what was causing the wall behind Jack's bookcase to tremble. It shook harder as the yells increased, and a couple of books slipped free from their places and hit the floor. Will's eyes grew even wider at that, and he had to remind himself that, though he thought he'd heard Elizabeth's voice squeal somewhere within that wild cacophony, Autolycus' and Elizabeth's bedroom was quite a ways up the hallway. Besides, if the man finally freed Elizabeth of the virginity she had at one time seemed so desperate to be rid of, all the better as long as Toly eventually made a proper woman of her!

The sounds were not only carried throughout the house, however, but also echoed past the house and reached a few pairs of ears outside. They also passed through the mirror to the other watchers down at the beach. Lockheed cooed. Rubeus blushed a shade so bright that Rachel never would have thought it possible of a Giant, and Ray and Wolverine looked sideways at each other. The girl rose a single eyebrow, wondering if she saw the hint of a blush on Wolverine's cheeks, and laughed despite herself. Some men could be so utterly and ridiculously shy sometimes!

"What the Hell are ya doin' over there, boy!" Wolverine managed to gasp out. "Don't tell me you an' that Eddie are gettin' it on! Never heard such a racket in my life!"

"GODS NO!" Will shrieked, thoroughly disgusted at the mere thought. Had Wolverine seen his paled, nauseated face, he would have been sorry for asking, but as it was, the mirror merely chuckled at the sight. "I don't know who it is, Wolverine, but it's not me and it's not Eddie and it's most certainly not Eddie and me together!"

Wolverine chuckled, the sound carrying through the mirror. "Well, you'd best find out who it is. We do have some young women in the house who don't need to be exposed to that. I've got one here with me, and believe me, boy, we're both embarrassd an' it's louder on yer side than it is on ours."

Rubeus didn't say a word. He just kept blushing. He was used to the mating habits of animals but not of whatever was coming through the speaker. Is that a man and a woman? he wondered. Eddie? Where had he heard that name? A donkey and a _man_! He was certainly glad when he heard Will say that it was not Eddie!

"Speak for yourself, Wolverine," Rachel told him. "Some of us are used to such racket and really don't mind it even if we would like a little action ourselves." She grinned.

Wolverine did not look at her; he was just too embarrassd! Thank Gods it hadn't been Will!

Lockheed cooed, and Ray looked at him. "Don't even go there, 'Heed! You know I don't like thinking about Kitty with a man, let alone that Wisdom!" She spit on the ground for emphasis. "She deserved much better than that thing! I'm glad he's dead, even if I didn't do it myself! Piotr, I could see. He was a sweet man, a good man, but Wisdom? He was an ass, if ever there was one, and yet she put up with more out of him than she ever did out of any one else!"

"Wolverine," Will called back through the mirror, "if you think for even one second that I am involving myself in . . . in . . . in _that_, you'd best think again!"

* * *

Prue had been looking at Brendan during the noise, and he had turned so blood red that she knew that he would never go up and investigate it yet somebody had to go up there. Somebody had to find out who was killing whoever it was. She looked around for some one she could send and spied Cole. "With every one else gone, that puts you in charge, Cole. You'd best find out if they need any help up there or if somebody's getting killed."

Cole shook his head. He really didn't want to go! He looked at Piper for help.

Piper pointed the big spoon she had been stirring a pot with at Prue. "Do not even go there, Prudence Halliwell! Cole is not going up there, and neither are you or Brendan! I hope to Gods our sisters aren't headed up that way, but you put yourself to work on the cornbread!" Her face was still almost as red as Brendan's.

* * *

**Outside Chong & Hansel's Bedroom**

Xena had had just about enough. She had barely managed to get Gabrielle to sleep when all Hell seemed to break loose three rooms down. What was in that room? Whose room was that? she wondered as she made her way to the door. She looked down the stairs and saw a lot of the others standing around with their mouths open and their faces red. Why hadn't they put a stop to it?

She marched over to the door, read the names, and had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. Chong had finally got his man! She only wished he could be a little quieter about it. Just as she was reaching to knock on the door, another yodel ripped out of the room. What the Hell was he doing to him in there! She rapped on the door. "Thanks for the entertainment, guys, but some of us are trying to sleep out here!" The room became deathly quiet for a full minute, but then another yodel ripped out.

Elvira shook her head at Xena's failed attempt. "HEY, GUYS!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, just barely managing to be heard over Hansel's latest yodel. "THINK YOU COULD QUIET IT DOWN JUST A BIT? SOME OF US CAN'T GET ANY RIGHT NOW, AND THE SOUNDS YOU TWO ARE PUTTING OUT ARE MAKING US ALL HORNY!" The slamming of doors seemed to resound in the hallway, and Elvira looked around to see that several had ducked back into their rooms. "What?" she asked, looking at Xena. "Was it something I said?"

Xena nodded. "You spoke the truth. They just couldn't handle it." She ducked back into her room with Gabrielle.

* * *

**The Kitchen**

Bishop had been just about to slow down from his running at long last when he heard the noise. Instead of slowing, he picked back up. There was no way in Hell that damn China man was getting a hold of him! He didn't know what he was doing to whatever partner he had managed to capture, but it wasn't happening to him! He ran through the kitchen and out the back door, his cat yowling all the way.

Cole watched as he passed. "What's the matter, Bishop? He's not after you!"

"No, but when he gets tired of using that one, he will be! He'll have to catch me first!"

Cole had to turn away from letting Bishop see him laugh. There was one thing he didn't want to do, and that was make Bishop mad! He shimmered quietly out of the room, leaving Piper alone with Prue and Brendan. The exasperated woman finally allowed herself to plop down into a chair beside Brendan's and bury her face in her hands.

Prue had heard noises all her life but never any like the ones coming from above. It sounded like two bull elephants mating! She moved to stand behind Piper and touched her gently on the neck. She felt tension just rolling off of Piper and began to give her a massage, hoping to get her mind off of the embarrassment. She stole a glance at Brendan. She'd love to make him yodel like that one night!

* * *

**Autolycus & Elizabeth's Bedroom**

Toly had barely managed to get Elizabeth to the bed when it seemed that all Hell broke lose. If he had not been so entwined with her, he would have ran to help whoever was in trouble. He had heard Xena's mouth telling whoever it was to pipe down, and he realized what was going on. He dared not look into Elizabeth's face for fear that she would see what the noise was. When he dared peek into her face, he saw that she was laying there with her eyes closed shut, waiting for the next thing to happen. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her gently. "Open your eyes, my love. I want you to see what happens between us as I truly do love you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known, and I will take great glory in worshipping your body."

Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes and managed a trembling smile. "I did not have my eyes shut not to see, my heart, but whether . . . " Words failed her. How could she explain that the touches of his lips and hands had already set her heart ablaze and that her eyes had closed in relish? She blushed more deeply, the sounds from a nearby room causing her far more embarrassment than she would have otherwise felt. "My eyes drifted close as I was . . . thoroughly enjoying myself . . . I was just . . . lost in the moment, is all . . . " She stroked the side of his face with a loving hand. "Will you show me how a real Pirate makes a woman feel?"

At her words, he took a deep gulp. Was he up to this? She expected so much out of her first time, and it had been so long since he had found a sheathe worthy of his sword! Seeing her laying there like the wondrous jewel that she was made his loins overheat, and he prayed that he would not let go too soon and embarrass himself. He searched his mind for any bit of poetry or anything to lighten the mood just as another yell was heard. He snuggled up closer to her and began to kiss her neck, and then another yell was heard.

"Elizabeth, darling! I'm afraid . . . that this is . . . not the time . . . I would love to be able to make your wildest dreams come true, but with all that racket going on, it just wouldn't be as romantic . . . " It wasn't that he didn't want to do it, because he did. He just wanted her first time to be extremely special. "Our first time should be a beautiful thing, Elizabeth, and with those noises, there's no way! Forgive me, my love, for failing you!" He found his mouth near her left breast and kissed the top of it gently. If he could, he would rush out and beat the crap out of whoever was disturbing them, but since he had no idea and they had not been afraid, even after Xena's warning, he didn't dare go face them! His steed hung limp in disappointment.

Elizabeth sighed as her head hit her pillow in dismay. She was so close, and yet so far! Her eyes closed again, this time to hide her frustration. Why did those idiots have to make such an awful racket! Who were they any way? Perhaps she should go tell them exactly what she thought of their raucous noise disrupting her first time and forcing her to remain a virgin! Hansel yodeled Chong's name then, and Elizabeth realized that it would do no good to go yell at them. After all, Chong had not even had the decency to cover himself up until the wicked Piratess who had not been killed for some reason had threatened to cut him off!

She really did not want these glorious feelings to stop, however, and as Autolycus kissed the top of her breast and his mustache stroked her flesh, she sighed in a mixture of pleasure and frustration. Perhaps she should show him how much she wanted him? She had once tried something with Will that another woman had told her would turn him on. It probably would have worked had he really wanted her. "Autolycus . . . " she breathed his name as she opened her eyes and gazed up at him. She ran a hand boldly down his body until she was able to find his hand. She lifted his hand from the bed and entwined her fingers with his. "Toly . . . " she breathed again as she started to lead his hand toward her body.

"I don't mind the noises, not really, not enough to make me stop wanting you . . . I want you." She pulled back into the mattress enough that she could slide their entwined hands between their bodies. "I love you." She guided his hand underneath her hiked robe. "I _need_ you." She placed his hand on her wet core and gazed meaningfully at him.

He was lost! Hell could have burst open and swallowed them, and he still would not have paid it any attention! Doing his best to tune the other couple out, he began to caress Elizabeth. Her wetness excited him! He began to shove her robe up. As each perky bosom was revealed, Toly began to lick and nibble even as his fingers were trying to figure out how to get her underwear off the quickest way. He felt his sword jerk to life.

Would Elizabeth yodel? Could he make her yodel? His steed seemed to think so! She had said she loved him. Would she love him after it was over? For the first time, Toly realized that his heart was truly completely lost to one woman, a fate that he thought he would never fall into! He paused a moment, reached out, took her hand, and led it to his stallion. He wanted her to undress him just as fast as he was trying to undress her. The need was romping wildly, and the stallion strained to get out and be free of its stall!

Elizabeth sighed with even more pleasure as he brought her hand to rest on his sword. It had worked! Thank Gods, it had worked! Now if she could just keep him distracted enough not to notice those noisy men . . . She caressed his sword through the straining fabric of his trousers. Her fingers played a melody against him, one she had worked many a time in her dreams. Her sighs grew in volume and number as he worked his magic on her in turn. Her fingers found his buttons, and she slowly began to unbutton him, her palm continuing to caress his arousal.

* * *

**Elsewhere in the House**

Paige had looked everywhere for Carl, but she had not found him. The more the sounds came out, the more she wanted to find him, but he was not in any of his usual hiding holes. She kept looking in all of the holes he frequented, but he was in none of them, or at least she thought he wasn't until she came to the last hole. She could hear something down there. "Carl?" she called. He must be trapped, she thought, and can't get out. I'll have to go down there and help him.

She squeezed down the tiny space and crawled down the inner wall. She had almost come to the end when she realized that what she was hearing was not Carl but something else entirely different. They were making noises almost as bad as what was coming from upstairs! "Carl?" she called one last time before the two beings looked at her. Then she began to scream, because what she was looking at was definitely not Carl. It was two Fieries who had been going at it very strongly! When they saw her, they started moving toward her to include her in their little party. Paige screamed again and orbed, but they caught her and were still clinging to her when she rematerialized in the living room.

Paige continued screaming and began trying to knock the clawing, yammering things off of her. "Ease down, honey!" one of them said, and Paige realized from the sound of the voice that it was a female!

"Yeah! All we want is a little human loving, sweet thing." The voice of the second one was also feminine, and as the reality of what was happening dawned on her, Paige screamed even louder!

* * *

**Joxer & Phoebe's Bedroom**

Phoebe watched Joxer's peaceful face as she rubbed her hand over his chest. He was so fragile, and yet she loved him so much. He was nothing like any of her previous conquests before, and she never could have lain with any other male and not tried something. Now, however, she just wanted Joxxy to rest. He had been through so much. They had all been through so much, but she, though she needed to and knew that her sisters would tell her exactly that, could not rest. She had tried shutting her eyes. She had tried counting sheep. She had tried listening to Joxer's soft snores. Nothing worked.

All she could think about was all that had happened to them over the last couple of days. Losing her mother and grandmother had been hard enough blows, but then being taken by those evil Piratesses . . . Doing all that menial labor, wondering and worrying for her sisters, hearing their screams and being unable to help, being shot, seeing Hoggle be killed for peeing at the wrong time and in the wrong place . . . It was all straight out of a nightmare that was worse even than the loss her family had suffered when the Pirates had first rescued them.

She sighed and laid her cheek against Joxer's chest. As she listened to his heartbeat, she thought again of her sisters. What exactly _had_ been done to them? Where were they now, and what were they doing? Part of her wanted to be down there, talking with them, making sure they were all right, but the other part of her didn't want to leave Joxer. She sighed again, slipped from the bed, and began to pace through the room.

She stopped at their dresser suddenly and picked up a mirror. It was ancient, made of ivory, and delicately detailed with porcelain roses and vines. Her grandmother had received it from a suitor a long time ago, and Phoebe could even recall admiring it as a child. She'd always be looking at her reflection in it whereas Grams used it increasingly little as she grew older. On her sixteenth birthday, Grams had given her the mirror . . . but she'd lost it in the wreck. Yet here it was in her very hand!

How in the world? Phoebe pondered, glancing at the bigger mirror over the dresser. Her mouth fell open for in its reflection she saw not the face of a green man as had been in the mirror on the shore but instead a painting. She whirled around, her brown eyes flying up to the wall, and tears filled her eyes as she looked at the painting that Paige had once made and given to her. There were her mother, her grandmother, her sisters, and even Kit. Kit. Where was Kit? Oh Gods! Phoebe thought. Surely they hadn't left him down on the beach, outside where the dinosaurs could get him and eat him?

She headed quickly for the door and had half-way reached it when pictures filled her head. She cried out, feeling the pain of the one being attacked, and fell to her knees. "CARL!" she sobbed. "CARL! NO!"

Joxer had come quickly awake when he heard Phoebe pacing the room. He had watched her in the fading sunlight and thought she was the most beautiful creature he had ever known. He didn't know how he had come to be the lucky man sharing her room. He was thankful that he had. He wished that he could be all things to her that she needed and wanted but knew that he had failed her badly despite all his good intentions.

He did not move, because he did not want to disturb her thoughts. He watched as she walked around and picked up the mirror. He thought it was a beautiful mirror, just right for his Princess. Where had it come from? He had never seen it before.

His mind flashed back to the green man he had seen before in the big mirror. Was he gone now, or was he just lurking in there, waiting for Joxer to put in an appearance? No, Joxer the Mighty couldn't be a coward and lay in his bed. He'd have to face the thing sooner or later, before it did something to his beautiful Phoebe. Phoebe had reached the door, paused, and then cried out, and Joxer was by her side within seconds.

He clasped her to him and held her as her screams drowned out Paige's down below. His hand brushed her hair out of her face, and he saw the look of pure terror in her eyes. "Phoebe, darling! What's wrong? What happened to Carl?" His voice grew just a little high in anxiety. "Answer me, angel!" he pleaded.

Phoebe could barely hear Joxer for the sounds of ripping, shredding, sucking, and screaming that filled her mind. "It's got him!" she cried, shaking all over. "I don't know what it is, but it's got him! It's eating him!" Then, just like that, the vision was gone, and she fell into Joxer's embrace, still trembling.

"What's got Carl?" Joxer asked. "What's eating him?" He knew he really didn't want to know but that he'd have to know before he could go out and rescue Carl. His love for Phoebe made him want to be the mighty Joxer that he was, but it also made him want to be cautious. He didn't want anything to happen to himself to the point that Phoebe couldn't love him. Maybe he should go look for Cole when he found out what it was that was eating Carl?

Phoebe fought to pull herself together. Her face was wet from tears she did not recall shedding, and she hurt for Carl. "I don't know what it was, Joxxy!" she exclaimed. "I didn't get a good look at it! All I know is that it was big and dark and ripping Carl apart with its bare hands! Claws really. I know I saw a shot of claws. Or talons. Something like that. We've got to tell the others!"

"Let's go down to the kitchen. Cole is sure to be down there with Piper. Cole can handle anything," Joxer said reassuringly. He knew that if it was something Cole couldn't handle that Joxer didn't need to be anywhere within a hundred miles of it! Grabbing her hand, he led the way to the kitchen.

* * *

**The House**

"I've got to go!" Will shouted at the mirror as he heard Paige's scream. He raced from his bedroom to see what was wrong. He fell into step beside a crowd of people rushing down the stairs, but it was none of those who reached Paige first. Instead, it was Piper, Prue, and Brendan who rushed in from the kitchen and Cole who shimmered to Paige. Piper threw out her hands and froze the Fieries.

"What are those things doing here?" Cole asked. "Where did you find them?" He reached out and offered a hand to Paige.

"I was looking for Carl, and I found them! Carl's missing!" She took his hand, and he helped her to her feet.

"Why would Carl be missing? He wasn't on trial."

"They grabbed me, and they wouldn't let go even when I orbed!"

"Speaking of orbing," Piper spoke quietly and gestured to where a new set of blue lights were appearing in the room. She wondered who this new orber was and raised her hands, prepared to freeze another attacker if need be.

Sam appeared with the two children in tow. "I gathered, by all the noise, that you had returned." He looked around and finally spotted Clark. The young man had been standing off by himself until he spotted his kids. Then he began hurriedly and even forcibly shoving his way through the throng of people to reach his kids. "Julian! Sarah!" he called.

The children ran to their father and threw themselves against him, hanging on to him as though their lives depended on it. Clark knelt, gathered them close into a huge bear hug, and picked both up at the same time. Lex would be so relieved to find that they had lived! Tears stung Clark's eyes, happy at first and then sad as he reminded himself that Lex would be relieved _only_ if he made it through the trials with his memories in tact.

Sarah looked at her daddy, Clark, as her arms hugged him around the neck. "Where's Daddy Lex?" she asked worriedly.

"He's . . . " Clark coughed and choked down his own emotions. He smiled at the little girl and picked up, "He's still away on business, but he'll be back." He hugged his and Lex's children even tighter but remained careful not to hurt them. "He'll be back," he insisted. "I promise."

Sarah snuggled even closer to her daddy, Clark. She was worried about Daddy Lex, and that was the only reason why she had talked. She thought that he had not even missed them so much had been going on. "Did you know we were missing?" she asked. "Mister Sam took good care of us, but Mister Simon isn't here any more."

Julian hugged Clark tightly. "He tried to save us, and we lost Jasmine, too." He buried his face against Clark. He was afraid that Daddy Lex had failed, too, since he wasn't there and that Clark was trying to hide it from them. "Are you sure Daddy Lex is okay?" he questioned worriedly.

"I'm . . . I'm sure of it," Clark persisted even while kicking himself. He hated lying to them, but he knew he could not tell them the horrid truth of the situation. Tears stung his eyes and throat, but he forced them and his emotions down. He had to be a brick wall right now. A compassionate, caring, loving brick wall, but a brick wall nonetheless. He looked at Sam and managed a smile. "Thank you, Sam. I owe you a debt I can never repay. But as for Miss Jasmine," he told the kids, "she's all right. She's here . . . somewhere . . . " His sad, haunted eyes turned to scan the others in the room and spilling out beyond both doorways. "Jasmine? Where's Jasmine? Who's seen Jasmine?"

"I've seen Jasmine."

The voice was familiar, but Clark was too upset to place it immediately. "Where?"

"In the mirror."

He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head, then reopened them. "Jasmine, get in here! Move aside," he told the others. "Let her in!"

The others did not have to move far to allow Jasmine's thin frame to pass. Soon, she was beside Clark and the children, and she reached out and gently touched both kids. "I'm right here," she told them. "I'm right here, and everything's going to be okay."

Clark wondered if the blonde woman really believed her words, but one look into her blue eyes told him that she did not. Even Jasmine was not that dumb.

Will looked around at the faces of the others. He knew that Clark was beside himself and wished he could tell him how he could see Lex but knew that the kids did not need to know what was really going on and that Clark would not manage to get away from them for quite some time to come. Then Will spotted two other very, very sad faces. He could see the tracks that tears had left on Dawson's pale face, and Connor, too, looked as though he'd been as despairing as Will had been. He worked his way through the crowd until he managed to reach both young men. "You two," he whispered. "Dawson, Connor, come with me." Without waiting for an answer, he turned and headed back toward his room, taking the steps two at a time.

* * *

**The Island**

Carl had been missing for quite some time. He was in more pain than he'd ever been in in his entire life and in such terrible shape that he could not even crawl toward the house. The mirror had cranked him up so bad that he had ran faster than he had intended to, past the house and on to the other side of the island. He had not fallen afoul of dinosaurs, however, even though they roamed freely but something far more horrendous for he had been attacked by one who used to be a member of the human race but was now a blood-thirsty monster. He did not know who he was. He just knew that he attacked him, because he was wanting to eat him.

Carl fought as valiantly as he could but knew it was a losing battle for his strength far outweighed his own, and a Gnome's strength is nothing to laugh at but neither are monsters. He lay there, remembering Paige, his beautiful Paige. He felt that he was dying and feared that he had not told her nearly enough how much he loved her. She would soon forget him and find another. He could feel his life's blood draining away, and he tried once again to get up and crawl but was not able to. Where had the thing gone that had attacked him, and what was that thing? He closed his eyes, fearing that it was his last time, and he held his memory to Paige close to him even as his mind slowly began to fade away.

* * *

Cole had searched the island frantically looking for Carl, fearful that the little guy had been caught by a dinosaur and eaten. He was not having much luck finding him, and then he came to a blood-smeared clearing. It looked as though a dinosaur had had a meal. He walked carefully around and stumbled over a shoe. Picking it up, he recognized it as Carl's. "CARL!" he called, distraught that the little guy was gone. Using his sense of smell, he sniffed the shoe and began to try to track the little guy. He heard something and looked up to his left and spotted . . . Who was it? He could barely see a flash of light hair, and then it was gone.

Spike had been out wandering, lost and lonely. He did not know where the house was, and his mind was solely upon his beloved Kyna. Twice within one day, he had lost her. Why was it so hard for him to keep her? Was it not meant for them to be together? He didn't know, but he was lost in his prayers and thoughts of her when he stumbled over something. Looking down, he saw the little man who he knew was called Carl. Was he dead? He felt for a heartbeat and found only an extremely faint one. He did not have long left! He picked him up and started running with him. Where he didn't know.

Cole, seeing something running toward him, stepped to the side and watched as Spike flashed by. He yelled at him, and Spike stopped and turned to face Cole. Cole's heart stood in his throat. Had Spike attacked Carl! Carl's chest was totally torn open, and it looked as though something had been seeking his heart. Spike had blood all over him, Carl's blood! "Did you -- !" Cole asked only to have Spike swear up and down that he had not.

"No, I didn't! I found him like this!"

Cole reached out, grabbed Spike's arm, and shimmered the three of them to the house.

Paige looked up as she sensed some one enter the room. Her eyes fell upon the tiny body that Spike held tenderly to his chest, and immediately she began to cry. "Carl? Carl! NO!" Piper tried to reach out to her sister, but Paige pushed her away and rushed to Carl. It was then that she caught sight of his opened chest where blood and body parts hung out. Prue caught Paige just before she could hit the floor.

"Let me through! Let me through! Damn it, you idiots, let me through!"

"Yeah! Let her through!" Joxer exclaimed.

"Phoebe?" Piper called, turning toward her younger sister's frantic voice. "What is it? Don't come in here! Just tell us what's going on!"

"Piper, I had a . . . " Phoebe stopped just inside the doorway and stared at Carl. She was too late. Carl was gone, and . . . what a way . . . what a way to go! She dropped, falling backwards onto Joxer and knocking him to the floor, as well.

"What in the world is going on in there?" a man's voice asked. Trent stuck his head just inside the doorway, took one look, and rushed away, one hand pulling Carlos after him and the other covering his mouth. He made it outside just in time to be sick.

Piper looked at Sam, tears welling in her eyes. "Sam?" she asked. "Can you save him?"

Sam reached out and laid his hands on Carl. The damage was extensive. It may take some doing, but he thought he could. He concentrated solely on Carl, and the little fellow's body began to heal. They had only just made it.

Spike continued to hold Carl as gently as though he were a baby, and Cole had to turn away to keep his tears from being seen. Piper gently touched his arm but could do little to comfort him. Cole was angrier than he had ever been at himself. How had this happened, and on his watch! He was even angrier at the thing that had done this to Carl and was still afraid that Spike had been the one who had attacked him. After all, he had seen a flash and then Spike carrying Carl, but why would Spike have carried Carl? Wouldn't he have just eaten him? Had the Vampire gotten the best of Spike? And then Cole saw the tears in Spike's eyes. Spike had said he didn't do it, and Cole now found himself believing that Spike had told the truth.

Piper had slipped between Prue and Cole. She was already gently and reassuringly rubbing Cole's arm, and now she reached out and placed a hand on Prue, as well. She still did not speak for she knew there were no words to ease the pain and fear that they were all feeling.

Clark was glad that Jasmine had been beside him for the moment they had seen Cole and Spike enter with Carl, their hands had gone to the kids' eyes. Jasmine had covered Julian's, and Clark had hid Sarah's. Now, the two slipped out of the room with the kids, each assuring them that it was all right and that it just wasn't something they were old enough to see yet.

"Kinda like those sounds from upstairs?" Julian asked.

"Yeah," Jasmine told him. "Just like that." She wondered why the little boy already knew what those sounds meant, and that thought caused her to wonder if he, too, had spent part of his childhood in a tavern.

* * *

**The House**

Dawson and Connor exchanged a glance and then began to follow Will upstairs. "Wait for me, mon!" a voice called behind them. Connor turned around to see that the two tiger cubs were trying to follow. Wolfie had Sebastian on his back and was trying to herd the two cubs before him. How could he have almost forgotten about his little family? Connor asked himself. Where was his brother, the only other member left to him? He looked around but did not see Frederic. I hope he's still out of trouble and not trying to do his duty, Connor thought even as he scooped the two tiny cubs up. "I'm going to take you to our room. I don't know what kind of business Mister Turner has with us, but you guys need to rest."

Dawson reached out and offered to tote one of the cubs. He smiled at Connor as Connor passed the boy to him. "You don't want to tote the girl. She's the feistier of the two," Connor told him.

"I think they're both sweet," Dawson replied. "How lucky you are to have such a great family! Don't worry; the others will come home soon." If he repeated that enough times, he might actually begin to believe it. Faith's absence left a huge hole in his heart, and he felt that, at any moment, he might burst out crying. He was glad to be of help with the cub.

"Are you coming?" Will called down, looking at the two boys from the top of the staircase. His usual patience failed him for he could not wait to get back to Jack and fretted silently over what might even now be happening to his beloved.

"Yes, sir; we'll be right there! I just need to stop and drop these tired little ones off in our room. We'll come right up. I know where your room is."

"You can take them there or they could sleep with Donkey and the cat, but hurry," Will replied. "You don't want to miss this!" He wished he could tell them straight forward that he was trying to help them find their ways to being able to watch their missing loved ones, but to state such aloud would cause quite the commotion.

Connor walked quickly to where his room used to be and was surprised to find that there was now a plaque on the door that he couldn't read. He puzzled over it even as Dawson came to his elbow. "Zora's in your room now!" Dawson asked.

"I don't know. What makes you think that?"

"Well, her name's on the door any way."

"You can read?" Connor asked him.

"I do have some schooling," Dawson said proudly. "I like to read. I didn't get to finish. Mitch took me out of school and made me work at the store. He was too cheap to really hire somebody. The plaque says Connor & Zora."

"This should be interesting," Connor commented as he opened the door to his room. The room was so crowded they could barely get in. "What's all this stuff?" Connor asked even as his eyes grew large at the size of the bed in the center of the room.

"By all that's holy!" Dawson declared. "What is all this!" His eyes kept being drawn to first one sparkly thing and then another.

"I thought I lost this!" Connor exclaimed. "Actually, I thought Pan stole it, but I never could prove it!" He reached out and took the watch that lay on the top of a trunk. "All this other stuff must belong to Zora. I found it one day while playing with the Lost Boys. Pan demanded it when he saw I had it, but I wouldn't give it to him. I wanted it. It was mine; I found it. But then it disappeared."

"It has a picture in it, but I don't know who it is. Pan thought it was a fantastic thing, because it actually ran and made a ticking sound. He used it to scare Dad all the time into thinking that the croc was coming, but I was the one who found it to start with. Of course, I only found out what he was using after I was no longer with the Lost Boys," he commented, picking his wording carefully. "I wonder what they're doing now that Pan isn't with them. He never did take good care of any of us, just took the booty we found and made it his own. If we complained, he punished us."

Connor shook himself out of his thoughts before he could slip up and tell Dawson more than he wanted him to know. "We'd best hurry before Mister Turner thinks we're not coming." He laid the cub on the bed. Wolfie jumped on the bed, carrying Sebastian, who almost fell off. The little crab was so sleepy that Connor thought he'd go to sleep immediately. It was just as Connor was heading for the door that Sebastian yelled, "WAIT, MON! YOU AIN'T GOIN' OFF WIT'OUT ME! ZORA TOLD ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOU! Wolfie can watch the cubs."

Connor reached out and picked Sebastian up very carefully, holding the crab in front of him so that he would not pinch him. The boys eased out of the room and headed up the stairs where Will waited for them, wondering what Mister Turner could want. They knocked on his door when they reached there.

* * *

**The Island**

Roxanne paced back and forth across the porch of the house the others had all gone into. She continually glanced at her jaguars, who flanked her on each side and appeared to be as nervous and frustrated as she was. She looked again at the lowering sun. She had no chains, no locks, no way to keep herself from possibly attacking Sasha and Yasmine. She could run, leave them here and run, but the minute she'd suggested that, they had argued with her, reminding her of the speeds that she travelled as a Were and warning her that she could very easily come across them before sunrise. No, it was just too big a risk, and she would not risk the lives of her babies.

Sasha growled, her tail striking a fly and sending the tiny bug crashing onto the floor. Roxanne shook her head, and her long, black hair shimmered in the orange rays of the sun. "I can not," she told her. "How can I ask for help from people we helped to capture and who were put through such torture by those they think were my allies?"

Sasha growled again, and once more, Roxanne shook her head. "No. They would never understand." Yasmine spoke then, but still Roxanne shook her head. "That was different. Emma is the wife of one of their men. Besides, she does not know that I regretted what happened to her and probably thinks that it was my job, as the ship doctor, to keep her alive so that they could torture her." Actually, that was far closer to the truth than Roxanne cared to contemplate.

Sasha sat down, looked Roxanne directly in her eyes, and growled again. "They owe me nothing, Sasha; it was the least I could do. Even with my help, the catman nearly did not make it!"

"No, I do not remember his name. It doesn't matter. He's a male."

"Katrina, I think, and . . . Celina. She was the one who believed me first, but still I can not -- "

"Of course I would not prefer to endanger you! Never would I -- "

* * *

**The Living Room**

Brendan stepped up in front of Prue. His eyes met hers, but he did not speak. Instead, he carefully took Paige from her, walked over, and laid her on the couch. Then he headed after Phoebe and Joxer, who Gabrielle and Elvira were already kneeling beside. He gingerly picked up Phoebe and carried her out. He'd take her to her bedroom, lay her on her bed, and then come back for Joxer.

Prue watched through dazed eyes as Brendan took care of her family. When he had finally come back from taking Joxer, she stepped forward and touched him gently on the arm. "Thank you, Brendan, for being here for me." She couldn't remember a time when she was as tired as she was at this moment. How she wished she could lay down and have Brendan hold her so that they could both rest! She knew he was exhausted, too. She looked at Carl, whose coloring was coming back now. "Take him up to Paige's room," she told Spike.

Sam agreed. "I've done all I can for him for now, but I'll keep a watch over him tonight." He prayed that they had reached him in time before his mind had left. "Only morning well tell."

Brendan nodded, his eyes trailing to the window where he could see dusk turning into night. He looked back down at Prue. He wanted so desperately to touch her, to hold her close, and reassure her everything was going to be all right, but he knew he could not. He had to summon all his courage just to lightly touch the back of her cheek while gazing into her eyes. "Some one take Paige to her room, and Prue, you get some rest. You need it. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for your sisters." Then he swiftly turned away and headed for the basement where he hoped Jack had set things up for him.

Prue watched Brendan go, her eyes full of sadness, even as her hand crept to the place he had touched on her cheek. Maybe one day, she thought, he won't be running away? Maybe, one day, we can actually sleep in the same room all night and not be prisoners? She moved to stand beside Piper. "It's too late to cook, little sister. We need to go to bed. We'll get up early and make breakfast." She hugged her and began to lead her toward her bedroom.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Faith's mind sped as Drell droned on and on. The pompous ass of a Judge acted as though he did not even know how to shut up, and she had stopped listening to him some time ago. Indeed, she hadn't bothered with a single word he'd said since he'd announced that she could pick two, but only two, to aid her in the fight against the Spellmens. Her dark eyes darted around the court room, pausing on every face of an alley but only stopping to rest on those who she truly considered. Finally, after what seemed like an eon of useless, inane rattling at the top of his booming voice, Drell called down, "THE TIME FOR DECIDING IS UP. WHAT IS YOUR DECISION, FAITH?"

His irritated voice grated Faith's already fragile nerves. He acted as though all the time they had wasted had been because she had been trying to make up her mind, not because he hadn't bothered to shut up! She raised her head and opened her mouth, but instead of cussing him with all the names that he brought to her mind, she called out her decision. Her firm voice carried throughout the hushed court room. "I CHOOSE JARETH. AND LEX LUTHOR."

**To Be Continued . . . **


	25. Chapter Twentyfour

**Chapter Twenty-four**

**All Sides of the Mirror**

Will had been unable to wait for the boys and had forgotten all about them by the time a knock came on his door. "Who's there?" he called without turning around or even taking his eyes from the mirror. "Show me Jack again," he whispered to Phillip.

"It's us, Mister Turner, Connor and Dawson," Dawson was quick to reply.

When Will heard Dawson, he recalled that he had invited them up to discover the mirror and accompany him in watching the others. "Come in," he told them, "and close the door behind you."

Dawson's eyes quickly looked around the huge room, and then they were drawn straight to where Will sat, cross-legged on the floor. He had been extremely surprised to see Donkey on the bed and Will on the floor. He wondered what was going on, and then his eyes were drawn to something moving on the wall. "What is that?" he asked in a very quiet whisper.

"How can the court room be here!" Connor questioned in a trembling voice. He could see his fathers, Zora, and Vang. Were they aware that he was here? "Zora!" he cried out even as he raced to the wall. His hand touched the moving picture without going through the mirror. "How can this be?" He turned and looked down at Will. "What kind of magic is this!"

"I don't know the first thing about magic," Will told the boys, "and I wish we could touch them and join them, be with them . . . But at least we can see them and know they're all right."

"How long has this been going on?" Connor asked Will even as he sat down on his left, his eyes glued to the picture.

Dawson quietly sat down on Will's other side, his eyes desperately seeking for Faith.

Will's eyes still had not left the reflection in the mirror. "I'm not sure how long it's been happening. Eddie woke me up to show it to me." He shook his head, thinking to himself that he wasn't sure if Donkey had simply awakened him to show him the mirror because he'd known he'd want to see Jack or if it had also been at least partially due to his desire to get on the bed. "Faith's there, Dawson," Will added, sensing the boy's concern as they had not seen Faith in some time. "Phillip, show us Faith." Then he recalled the others on the other side of the mirror. "Wolverine," he questioned, "I had to step out. What did I miss?"

"Lex, calm down! I know what I'm doing, and I know you don't have any magic! That's not why I chose you!" Faith whispered urgently to Lex, who appeared extremely stressed out.

"Wolverine?" Dawson mouthed as his eyes made contact with Connor's. Where was he, and how was it that they could hear Faith's voice? He wanted to reach out and touch her again, but he knew that all he would feel was something smooth and not know what it was, so instead he turned his full attention upon Faith and what she was telling Lex. Why was Lex so worried that he didn't have magic? Oh, no! he thought. They're fixing to have a test!

"Are the tests about to begin?" Connor queried even as Wolverine's voice came through the mirror. "How can he be there and us here!" Connor demanded.

"The first test's 'bout to begin, Will. Faith has ta defeat the Spellmens ta keep Salem. If she loses, it's over for him, an' he's back to bein' a cat wit'out a chance o' a pardon. She chose Jareth an' Lex. Jareth, I understand, but why in the Hell did she pick Lex! Boy ain't got no magic, an' they have ta defeat three Witches!"

A woman's voice then carried through the mirror. "I'm sure the girl knows what she's doing, Wolverine," Rachel tried to assure him. "I don't get it either, but I can tell there's more to Faith than just being a hottie."

Connor's mouth fell open in a huge grin. "Leave it to Ray and Wolverine to get back to the trial! How did you get there! Can we get in too?"

"We're not at the trial, . . . " Rachel paused. "Connor?"

"Yeah, it's me. If you're not at the trial, where are you?"

"The beach. We're using the mirror that's here."

"Ya really think we'd be wastin' time yammerin' if we were at the trial, kid?"

"Probably not. I wonder why we can hear each other, but they can't hear us. Phillip, can you take us to the trial?" He didn't have a clue as to what Phillip was, but since Will had already talked to it and it had shown them Faith in response, he knew something could hear them.

"No," the answer came seemingly from the image itself. "It is forbidden."

"Can they hear us?" Dawson asked. He wanted to tell Faith that he loved her very much and to stop being stupid and choose somebody beside Lex. He knew Lex meant the world to her, but she needed a magic being to help them to fight.

As Phillip again answered negatively, Lex appeared to be as desperate as those watching for Faith to choose some one else. Indeed, his hands even grasped her shoulders as he pleaded, "Faith, think about this! You need a magic, a Sorcerer, or at least a Witch!"

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "That's where Jareth comes in, but I need some one I can trust too, Lex. Some one with a cunning brain able to whip up a strategy that might actually work. Ya know I'm not any damn good at planning, just killing and fucking."

Dawson blushed at Faith's comment. He did not doubt, for a second, as he had seen positive proof as to Faith's words, but it was an embarrassing thing to actually hear them out loud. Will and Connor also blushed, and not a single one of the young men dared comment on Faith's admission.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Lorne reached one shaking green hand up to touch the necklace that was at his throat. Chills ran down his spine even as he realized that he was head first in a snowbank with only his butt sticking out. It was not so much the cold that gave him the chills but the realization that Crys had given him her only means of protection, and he knew she had had no intentions of ever returning to them. He wanted to cry out at the injustice of it. He had to find his love and convince her that, together, they could overcome their dreaded enemy.

Not too far from him, Angel found himself also head first in a snowbank. He did not feel the temperatures and got to his feet without very much effort. Anger boiled in his veins. If it had not been for a quirk of fate, he would have been on top of his sister when she had gone through the hole, and now that self-same quirk of fate had come with them. He didn't know whether or not he could trust Delvira. After all, she had been instrumental in helping his sister escape his watchful eye.

He sniffed the environment only to be met with a smell he would not have expected to be with them. He growled. "CORDELIA!" he yelled through clenched teeth. Just what the Hell was she playing at! Why had she followed them, especially when he thought he had given her the slip? Was Delvira at the root of this, as well? He saw Lorne's butt sticking up out of a snowdrift, walked over, and began to tug at his friend to release him from the snowbank. As of yet, he did not see Delvira but knew she had to be there.

Black eyes slanted sideways to look at the young woman dressed in white who was now trembling. Delvira knew Cordelia would claim that the tremble she quickly stopped was from the snow if the men heard them, so she stepped over to her and murmured softly, her voice low enough that the others would not have been able to overhear her if not for their advanced senses. "Ease up, girlfriend. He's just acting like his sword's up his rear, because he's worried. 'Course," she continued with a slight shrug of her thinly-clad shoulders, "that shouldn't give him a right to be an ass, but that's a male for ya."

A sound that sounded both like a cough and a chuckle to the women's ears brought Delvira's gaze to the lioness who stood on the top of another snowbank, her long tail cutting out at the frosty wind. Delvira forced a smile. "I can see you know what I mean," she told Cindy, who nodded in return. Delvira's attention then went to the other two animals who had leapt in after them, neither of which she was any more surprised to see than she had been Cindy. She noticed that Elvira was looking at her tail as she helped Blue dust the snow off of his wings with gentle hands. "You okay, girl? Just barely made it, didn't ya?"

Elvira looked at Delvira and, like Cindy had earlier, nodded. Her eyes were sad, but then Delvira saw a flash of strong determination swallow the sadness. "We'll get her back," Delvira told her. "We would've already gotten her back if not for the damn Council popping up when it did. At least we know where she's at." Delvira still had not spoken a word to the two-legged males. She knew Angel was pissed and was still waiting for him to make a remark. If he ticked her off, she'd try not to take out her frustrations on him, but she damn sure wasn't promising anything. On the other hand, she couldn't help but to feel sorry for Lorne. The green man wasn't a fighter, but he was determined to get his lady love back. His feelings for Crystal reminded her of her own love for Jareth. She'd see him through this, regardless of his self-appointed protector.

"Blue, fly up and take a look around. See if you can spot your mother or some one who might know where she is. Cindy, Elvira, try to catch her scent." With those commands spoken and already starting to be followed out, Delvira herself began to sniff. Crystal had definitely landed here, and the emotions she could smell in the girl's scent seemed even stronger than the last time she had sniffed her.

* * *

**The House**

"Honey, you've been through a lot today. I know you're exhausted. Perhaps it would be best if I was to chain myself tonight."

Morph raised one of Celina's hands and tenderly kissed the back of it. His eyes continued to gaze up into hers. "I won't have it, darling. I can take whatever you can give out. I've always been able to."

"But still, you should not have to -- "

"I will not allow you to chain yourself," he insisted, "not when I can enjoy the rewards of leaving you free and wild." He grinned and winked at her, and a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.

"But, Morph, really -- "

"No buts, love." He leaned in and kissed her lips, silencing her protest. She had barely began to give in to his kiss when a deep growl sounded from behind them. Celina's eyes flashed open, but Morph continued to kiss her, ignoring the interruption. The big cat growled again, this time sounding both louder and closer. Still, Morph kept Celina's face cupped in his hands and his lips upon her mouth. The third growl sent a rush of hot air over his rear end, and Morph's eyes finally snapped open. "What is it, Cindy!"

"That's not Cindy," Celina whispered, her arms holding Morph tightly to her body. "Stay still," she warned quietly.

Morph's eyes were now wide and wild with worry. There was a big cat on his rear end, and it wasn't Cindy but instead one that even concerned his wife! There was no way that that could be good! He froze and listened as Celina spoke to the jaguar.

"Can I help you, young one?" The jaguar answered her with a throaty rumble, and Celina frowned. "Why, of course, we'll help! You should have come to us sooner! Now back up so that Morph can move." She smiled at the jaguar, and Yasmine backed away just enough that Morph could run.

Morph did not run, however, but stiffly rose off of where he had pressed Celina against the wall when she had first started to show signs of running from him. He looked at the jaguar. "Isn't that -- "

"Her name is Yasmine, and yes, her mistress is Roxanne. Come, love; we must help her."

Morph frowned. "Do we have to?"

"Morph!"

Celina's exclamation was almost drowned out entirely by Yasmine's furious roar, and Morph held his hands out as though to fend off both females. "Kidding, just kidding!" He followed behind them with his hands stuffed into his pockets. He had not truly been kidding, but as long as the little white lie worked . . . He sighed. Why did Celina always think she had to help the whole world? It was a wonder they ever got anywhere with her piracy skills!

* * *

**The House**

Elvira had seen Brendan leave the room and had understood what was going on. Then she had remembered that she was no longer a mere Vampire and could no more trust herself than Brendan could trust himself. She hoped Gonk would be all right but had no one to entrust him to for she couldn't very well bother the girls right now, Ororo was far from being available, and Delvira had yet to come home.

She cast a glance down at the poodle who sat loyally by her bare feet. "Gonk." He cocked his head, looked at her expectantly, and whined softly. "When Delvira gets home, stay with her. Don't follow me." She left, heading in the direction Brendan had and following his manly scent.

Brown eyes looked worriedly at all the strangers. She wondered who she should approach but knew that she could not approach any of them. Instead, she stayed behind as the others began leaving until she overheard the Vampire speaking to her canine companion. The woman slipped after the Vampiress but remained on her guard. She wondered where Roxanne had gone, but one glance at the failing light outside told her she didn't have time to find her.

* * *

**All Sides of the Mirror**

Dawson was so agitated that he couldn't help himself. He got up and walked across the small space that separated them from the picture. His hand went out to touch Faith. Who was there that might could help? Sure couldn't be James and Smee. His eyes went slowly around the picture. Captain Jack would be of no help. Who was there that had magic? He stroked her image gently, wishing that she could feel his touch.

Connor, too, looked at their people at the trial. Who had magic besides Jareth? Faith had really not had a choice, he saw. Jareth was the only magic worker that he knew about. He looked at Will. "Are any of the rest of our people there magic beings?"

Will shrugged helplessly. "I told you. I know nothing about magic. Ororo's the Halliwells' godmother, but I've only seen her control the weather. Wolverine?"

"Kyna Chan's the only one there that can do magic outside o' Jareth. Leave Faith alone. She knows what she's doin'. She trusts Lex with her very life. I wish I could help 'em, too, but all we can do is wait an' pray." His hand had constantly been stroking 'Ro. "It's not as though we can yell at her about Kyna. The girl probably don't trust Kyna any way. Ya know she trusts very few."

Jack had almost leapt to his feet in protest as Faith had thrown her chance away. Why had she not chosen Kyna! Then she would have had two powerful Sorcerers to help her defeat the Spellmens! What help would Lex be! He had to clamp his hand over his mouth to keep from yelling at her about her choice. He could see that Lex was arguing vehemently with her to no avail. What good could Lex be against a Witch!

Kyna shook her head. She knew Faith did not like her, but the girl was making a foolish choice and foolish choices led to shallow graves.

Jareth knew that he was the only obvious choice and figured that the girl did not know about Kyna Chan. He looked at Drell. "Can I object to this choice of Lex Luthor? Perhaps Faith does not know that we have another Sorcerer on our team?"

Faith whirled away from talking with Lex to glare heatedly at Jareth. "I know what I'm doing, Pretty Boy," she growled, "but maybe I did make a mistake in choosing yer fancy ass."

"You need magic!" Jareth told her. "You do want to win? Those are three Witches that we're going against! They have all the advantages; we are at a disadvantage! We can not afford to lose Salem to begin with!" Even though her words of anger hurt his feelings, he would not let it be seen. Why did she always think of him as being a pretty boy? True, he was rather glamorous, but he was also deadly. His eyes met hers.

Faith was now headed across the court room toward Jareth and looked as though she might well attempt to kill him when she was reached him. "Why do ya think I chose yer pansy ass? I figured you'd pull out all your magical stops to save the man you once followed! And don't tell me we need to win this one! I know! That's why I picked you and Lex, you dumb ass! I'm not just picking willy nilly here! I have my reasons, an' as for as saving Salem goes, I'd lay down my own life for him!"

"As would I," Jareth told her, "but we don't need such an unfair disadvantage. Perhaps I could give Lex magic?" he said in a voice that he hoped only Faith could hear. "But then he would not know how to use it. It could cause more trouble. You're the Captain. What do you want to do?"

"Birdboy's the Captain, not me. I just happen to be your leader in this, and I've made my choice." She looked up at Drell. "I know you're bursting apart wanting to say something. Spit it out!"

"GLADLY. I WAS MERELY ENJOYING THE SHOW." He had hoped it might have gotten violent, but that did not seem to be happening. Too bad, he thought with a shrug of his shoulders. "YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE, BUT AS YOUR PARTNER IS SABERHAGEN, HE MAY ALSO HAVE A SAY. THE TWO OF YOU WILL BE THE LEADERS OF YOUR SIDE IN THIS. SALEM?"

"I say Faith knows what she's doing," Salem announced with a twitch of his tail. "Everybody, calm down. She wants Jareth and Lex. I trust her, and it's my hide on the line. Kyna may be powerful, but Faith doesn't trust her and no amount of magic in the world can make up for trust."

"True, true," Lex found his audible voice. "Though, I wonder, Drell, you say that Faith and Salem will both be in this for they are partners. What of _our_ partners?" he questioned. "Will Wolf and Joseph also be taking part in this battle?"

Faith turned to look at Lex and, for the first time since Dawson had been taken away, grinned. Then she looked quickly up at Drell with no trace of that rare grin.

"YES. THE THREE PAIRS OF YOU AGAINST EACH SPELLMAN IN TURN. SPELLMENS, PICK YOUR OPPONENTS BUT CHOOSE ONLY FROM THESE THREE PAIRS."

Damn, Faith thought, feeling Salem against her right leg. He would let those blonde bitches pick.

* * *

**The House**

Elvira realized she was being followed half-way to the basement or, at least, that's where she presumed Brendan was headed. She began glancing over her shoulder but could not get a clear shot of her follower. The scent the air carried was not one she recognized and carried with it something that was not quite danger but definitely not right either. Turning a corner in the hallways that appeared to have grown more numerous than they had previously been, Elvira dipped behind a staircase and hid in the shadows therein. She watched as the woman walked around to the steps, glanced up them, and then further down the new hallway.

The woman had dark skin and long, black hair and was dressed in a torn gown that Elvira noted had originally been made with very fine fabric and probably had quite a number of petticoats under it. Now, however, it barely covered the woman. As the stranger turned again, presenting her with her back, Elvira struck. She darted out from the shadows and grasped the woman from behind. "No screams," she whispered, her black nails touching the elongated neck of the other woman. She didn't want the others disturbed from their attempts to retire after all that had happened to them recently unless it was of absolute necessity. "Why were you following me?"

"¿Qué? ¡Ningún entienda! ¡Ningún Inglés! ¡Déjeme por favor ir! ¡No signifiqué ningún daño!"

Elvira's black eyes widened with surprise, but she did not release the woman yet. "Quiénes son usted," she questioned in the Latina's own tongue, "¿y por qué usted me seguía?"

"Mi nombre es Theodora Todd. No deseo al impend sino tengo en ninguna parte ir. ¿No puedo satisfacer estancia la noche?"

"¡Me no dirigen a un dormitorio, y uniforme si fuera, no quisiera que usted acostara abajo con mí!"

"No puedo acostar abajo. Usted es a. . . ¿a era, no es usted?"

"Si."

"Estoy también. No deseo por favor dañar ningún. ¿Permita que le acompañe? ¿Encadéneme, por favor?"

Elvira released Theodora, and Theo turned to look at her. The Vampiress studied her brown eyes, reading the truth, nervousness, concern, and, above all, fear in them. She forced herself to crack a grin she didn't feel for her heart was still with Wolf as she wondered what was happening to him, Jareth, and the others. "¿Por qué usted justo no dijo tan?" Grabbing the other woman's arm, she began to run after Brendan. "¡Adelantado! ¡No tenemos mucha hora!"

* * *

**The Court Room**

Wolf was quick to join Jareth, his tail jerking wildly. Which Spellman would they get? Would they attack simultaneously, and if they managed to defeat the Spellman, could they move over and help against the other Spellman? He raised his hand. "Your Honor, when we defeat our opponent, can we move over and help the next group?"

"THE FIGHTS WILL RAGE SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT YOU MAY HELP ONE ANOTHER AT PERIL TO YOURSELF."

Aslan cleared his throat. "Drell, you appear to have forgotten that there is a condition on the Spellman's part."

"Oh, yes, of course, Aslan." Drell humphed quietly. "MAGIC IS ALLOWED, BUT THERE IS TO BE NO TRANSMOGRIFICATION OF YOUR OPPONENTS AND NO KILLING."

"Damn," Faith muttered. "I'll get 'em one day, Salem. Don't worry about that." She had vowed to kill these three bitches for all the torments they had put Salem through, and she would . . . one day, just not today.

Lex looked at Joseph, who had come to stand beside him. "Do you have any powers?" he whispered.

"Yes. I control magnetism."

Lex quirked a brow. "Magnetism?"

Before Joseph could answer, Drell's voice again bellowed out. "THE DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. ZELDA SPELLMAN AGAINST JARETH AND WARREN WOLFSON THE THIRD. HILDA SPELLMAN AGAINST LEX LUTHOR AND JOSEPH. AND SABRINA SPELLMAN AGAINST FAITH AND SALEM SABERHAGEN. EVERY ONE ELSE, MOVE BACK! IF YOU ATTEMPT TO HELP, YOU, YOUR PARTNER, AND THOSE YOU AID WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"

As the other Pirates pulled reluctantly back, the three Spellmens rushed onto the floor, each heading toward their opponents. "I don't usually go for bald guys," Hilda told Lex, "but you're sort of cute."

"Thank you, madam," Lex quipped back with a sinister grin, "but I don't do women, especially the ugly ones."

As Hilda screeched her protest and began throwing fireballs at Lex which he repeatedly ducked for her aim was terrible, Sabrina looked at Faith with a smirk. "You could just hand him over. That'd save us both a lot of trouble."

"Go to Hell, bitch!" Faith exclaimed and charged. She raced over the small distance that still separated them and swung at the blonde. Faith's fist caught Sabrina in the gut, and she fell back, holding her stomach and wheezing for air. Faith's foot then struck out only to slam into a brick wall. Pain shot through her leg, and she fell back, landing on her side and barely missing Salem, who darted out of the way just in time. Sabrina's face smiled back at Faith from the wall. "He said we couldn't transmogrify our opponents. He said nothing about changing our own selves."

Returning to her human form, she darted in. Faith's hand shot out and caught her throat as Sabrina's fingers grazed Faith's hair. She managed to catch a handful of black hair and yanked hard on it even as Faith squeezed her throat.

* * *

**The Island**

Roxanne eyed the sun that was about to complete its sinking over the ocean. In a minute more at most, it would be gone entirely, and the moon would be out instead. "Sasha, I have no more time to argue. I do not know where Yasmine has wandered off to this time, but keep watch over the both of you. Slip inside when the others are not looking and stay there. I'll return in the morning. I'll be all right."

Sasha growled just as the door opened. Yasmine quickly sprinted to her mistress' side, and Celina looked from the agitated big cats to their worried mistress. "You are not going anywhere other than the basement, Roxanne."

"Surely you do not think that you are going to capture me now!"

"Look, lady; she came out here to help you and -- "

"Morph," Celina placed a stilling hand on his chest, "calm down. Roxanne, I . . . "

"Go!" Roxanne suddenly snarled at the couple as she doubled over, one hand wrapping around a column and the other going around her stomach. "Go now and take Sasha and Yasmine with you! Please, if you have any love for animals -- " Her words broke off into a yowl.

Recognizing the first signs of change and knowing that her own transformation would not be long in coming, though a life of training had taught her to be able to delay it a few minutes, Celina knew that they could not afford to waste any further time. She reached out with her mind and telepathically knocked Roxanne unconscious. The Latina crumpled to the floor, and Morph, understanding the situation entirely though his wife had not spoken a word of warning, rushed forward and picked Roxanne up into his arms. By the time he had straightened and turned toward the door, Celina was already holding it open. They ran for the basement, Celina shouting commands in the feline language to Sasha and Yasmine and telling them that they must go no further than the basement door. If they felt they owed them for helping their mistress, they would obey her at least that much. Morph prayed they'd listen but doubted that they would.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Angel wiped the snow completely out of his face. He was wet, and he didn't like to be wet. He turned slowly around, looking and sniffing until his nose connected with another scent. One that he had been seeking for. "Delvira, I have you to thank for this? And thank you, I do. But why did you allow Cordelia and the animals to come? They'd've been oh so much safer back at home." He spoke through clenched teeth, hoping he didn't piss the lady Vampire off, because if he did and the result was a fight before they even got started good, he knew it would not be a good thing. One of them would not walk away from it.

"Would you care to enlighten me your reasons for doing such?" Angel could be as eloquent as Jack when the need arose. He just didn't like doing it; he liked the more direct approach. What he felt like doing now was walking over, grabbing her by her throat, and demanding that she send Cordelia and the babies home, but he also knew it wouldn't work with Delvira.

He now had Lorne on his feet. He was not surprised to see tears tracing slowly down Lorne's face. "Don't worry, my friend. We'll find her. Her scent is strong. She didn't think we'd follow."

Lorne wiped his tears away and grasped the necklace more firmly. "It's not that, Angel," Lorne told him. "Look!" He held the necklace for Angel to see. The sight made Angel go weak in the knees. "She never had any intention of coming back!" Lorne moaned afterwards. "What will happen if she gives herself to him? We've got to reach her before she tries that!"

His eyes followed Blue's movement in the sky. Seeing Blue, he knew the other two were nearby and then looked behind Delvira and saw both Cindy and Elvira. He knelt and held his arms open for his children. In his heart, he vowed that, if it was too late, when they found Crys, he would defend their children with his dying breath.

Angel's hand went out and gripped his best friend's shoulder. "We'll find her, Lorne," he repeated, "though we may have to cross through Hell to get to her. Cordelia's here," he stated as a fact. Angel's eyes swept toward Cordelia. "Why didn't you stay home?" If something was to happen to his beloved in this Gods-forsaken land, he'd walk into the sun!

Cordelia finally managed to tear her eyes from the picturesque fairy tale land to look at Angel. The hurt and fear she read behind his anger in his carefully-guarded expression made her own angry look soften. She gazed into his eyes from the distance that separated them, the chilly wind tousling her long, raven hair. "You're my family, Angel, and Crystal is my sister too. I refuse to be anywhere but beside you when you need me, and whether or not you want to admit it, you do need me."

Their moment was interrupted by Elvira hurtling into Lorne's arms. The wolf had been hunting for her mistress' scent and had, at first, missed the Demon's request for her presence. As soon as she'd seen him, though, she'd known he needed her and all but flung herself into his arms.

Delvira was still ignoring Angel. She looked instead at Cindy. "She's been this way twice, hasn't she?" The lioness nodded. "Even more upset the second time through," the Vampiress murmured, "but if we want to find her, we'll head that way." She turned to look south.

Who are you, a voice laced with anger suddenly demanded inside Lorne's mind, and where did you get the necklace you wear? Answer me now, or I swear I'll turn you into ice!

* * *

**The Court Room**

"So you are the legendary Goblin King?" Zelda asked Jareth, circling him and observing his and Wolf's actions. "I always thought you'd be green and ugly."

"Should I take that as a compliment, madam?" Jareth questioned. "And you are the great Zelda Spellman? How does some one with the brains that you are reported to have become messed up with these two uglies?"

Wolf said nothing but watched for an opportunity, wondering what the ugly, blonde bitch would throw his way. Was it to be a war with words between Jareth and herself? He hoped it didn't involve him as his brain was on the blink at the moment.

Jack's hands gripped the seat he sat in. He wanted to rush forward and help, but he had been warned and struggled to remain in his seat. He winced when Faith's foot kicked the wall. He hoped it was not broken. His poor sister was always getting injuries. Only fools rushed in like Faith, and he worried for her safety greatly. He knew she was not a fool but was only letting her temper rule her.

James' eyes went to Hilda. He always did like the ugly women before he had had Smee. He tried not to reflect upon the ones he had had in the past. How best to defeat one? he thought. He heard her remark to Lex and thought, You tell her, Lex! Ugly, cold-hearted bitch! Hit her! Hit her! He grabbed Smee in his anticipation, wishing it was him hitting the bitch. He longed for activity and had never been one to sit on the sidelines.

Smee squealed when James grabbed him, but though he struggled, he could not break free. All the strength that James wished he could use against Hilda was instead being used to keep Smee in his arms, and yet James' gaze did not divert from the beginning trial!

* * *

**The Basement**

Brendan looked up as the door to the basement burst open. He had barely finished chaining his feet when he had heard hurried footsteps but would never have thought it was any one coming to join him. His surprise grew as he realized that it was Elvira and a woman he did not recognize rushing down the long, winding staircase. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "Get out!" He wished that he could see how the moon's progress was coming so that he'd know how much time was left. "Elvira, you know what I'm about to become! You can't be down here!"

"Get used to it, big boy!" Elvira retorted snappingly as she hurried Theodora over to another set of chains that hung on the wall opposite Brendan. "Wolf bit me, and this girl's one of us too, so you don't get a choice!"

"Find somewhere else!"

Elvira snapped the chains onto Theodora's feet as Theo fastened a chain around one of her own arms and hands. "Can't do it! There's no time! Now be a good little wolf, finish fastening your chains, and shut up!"

Though he regretted it, Brendan knew that he could not argue Elvira's point. The moon was quickly rising, and soon the changes would be upon them. "Well, at least hurry!" he exclaimed.

"I am hurrying!" Elvira snapped back as she secured Theodora's last chain and checked all her fastenings. "I don't want to hurt Prue any more than you do! Or the others, for that matter!" She raced across the room and quickly began sliding herself into chains.

"¿Usted no necesita algún encadenarle, también?"

"No se preocupe de mí, novia. Me utilizan a las cadenas." In English, Elvira muttered more to herself than any one else though Brendan could still hear her and blushed at her words. "I'm just not used to wanting to stay in them for longer than a good, old-fashioned screw session." As she finished locking herself in, she looked around the room again and noted the other sets of chains on the wall. There was a set further on Brendan's wall quite a bit of ways away from him. There was a set not too far down from Theodora's place, and there was a set that hung next to hers. That set had to be meant for Wolf, and Elvira wondered what he was doing now and prayed that he was okay.

Elvira's thoughts were shattered by the beginning of the changes overtaking not only herself but Brendan and Theodora as well. Brendan threw back his head in a long howl, and the women soon joined him. As the familiar changes ripped through their bodies, they struck up a cacophony of yells and screams and pulled at their own chains. The sounds coming from Theodora were something that neither Brendan or Elvira was used to, however, but they barely managed to open their eyes and catch a glimpse of the dark fur spreading over her body before the pain caused them to writhe terribly again. Their eyes shut, and they gave in to the painful changes . . .

The last thing Elvira saw before the wolf completely claimed her was the door opening and Morph and Celina entering. Morph was carrying a woman Elvira didn't quite recognize but whose dark complexion made her think she might be of the same race as Theodora and the two might be linked. As Morph carried the woman to another set of chains and the couple began locking her in for the night, Elvira's mind gave in to the wolf who howled.

Morph was fighting to stay calm when Celina turned from finishing locking up Roxanne and looked up at him from underneath veiled eyes. "Baby, wh-what is it?" he asked shakily. Celina reached up and ran a hand over the side of his face and down his throat. "H-Honey, I-I-I'm no-not s-sure th-this is the best placeintheworldforthis . . . "

Celina was giving him no room to argue, however, for the full moon had transformed his normally loving wife into a cat who could not think past her own primal urges. She started to push him back but then fell back onto all fours. Morph looked at his transforming wife, up the stairs, and then back at Celina. Grabbing the clawing, hissing, and spitting Siamese cat, he raced up the stairs and headed with all the speed he could muster for their bedroom . . .

* * *

**The Court Room**

Kurt was fervently praying. He scarcely felt Sean standing beside him or Kitty on his other side, but he did feel Emma trembling. He did not realize that he was still holding her arm. His eyes opened for one brief moment and looked at the beautiful woman. He hated the pain that had passed through her. What was she thinking now? Did she wish that she was one of those out fighting?

A fireball ripped past Sean's head. "Where the Hell did that come from!" he demanded even as his eyes turned and saw that one of the fireballs that Hilda was throwing had come very close to him but nowhere near Lex. "Ugly bitch! I wish I had one tae throw back at ye!" He grabbed Kurt and Emma and pulled them to the floor as several other ones hurtled over their heads.

"You'd think eventually you'd trust my phasing, Cassidy," Kitty told Sean for she had not released his hand and had immediately rephased him when the fireballs had started their way.

"I trust ye, Captain, but it's jest safer on the floor. I'm glad the bitch's aim is so awful, though! She'd've done poor Lex in by now otherwise!"

Unlike Kurt, Kitty, and Sean, Emma had made no reaction to the fireball or to being tossed down upon the protection of the floor. Instead, her eyes remained shut as she concentrated. It was only after the fireballs had passed from their direction to a new one elsewhere in the room and she heard a voice within her head that she gasped aloud. Emma, do not make me report you. Cease your activities, or I will have no choice.

Forgive me, Xavier, she replied with much more politeness than she felt, her body turning even stiffer, but I had to try.

I understand, and I am sorry for what you've gone through, Emma. But I can not let you interfere. It would be breaking the rules. Give them a chance; I am certain they will pull through.

Emma's eyes flashed open and looked out as Lex yelled. The young man seemed to be pulling his rear end in a bit of a ways past his back, and Emma realized that he had narrowly avoided one.

It was just at that time that a strong hand clamped Jack's shoulder. "I know what you are thinking, Captain Sparrow, and it must not be done," the calm voice of Kyna Chan informed her co-Captain. She had been standing behind him for a short while now but had just then made her presence known.

"You almost got me!" Lex exclaimed. "I suppose it's good for us that your aim is so terrible!"

Hilda glared at Lex. "Well, if you'd hold still . . . " She threw out her hands, but instead of more fireballs, a cage suddenly dropped down around Lex. It was then that Hilda felt a tap on her shoulder. "Sabrina, I'm busy here. Deal with your own." But the blonde still looked behind her, and Joseph's fist plowed into her face.

* * *

**The House**

Cole trailed behind Piper and Prue. He had already made sure that everything was locked up tight.

Piper hesitated as Prue did not release her hand even when they neared their bedrooms. "Uh, Prue?"

"What, Piper?" Prue asked.

"I'm . . . I'm not sleeping with you tonight." She blushed. "Unless you need me to, of course."

"No, but my room's right next to yours." She kissed her sister on the cheek when they reached their rooms and hugged her. "I'll wake you in the morning. Sweet dreams, both of you." She knew fully well that Cole and Piper would not get to sleep for quite a while. She smiled at the name plates on her sister's door. Only Prue did not have an & on her door. It said just Prue, and she frowned at it. Maybe one day, she told herself, it will say Prue & Brendan. She opened the door, walked in, and shut the door quietly behind her. A lonely howl echoed, and Prue knew it was Brendan. She lay on the bed and pretended that he held her even as she fell asleep.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Joseph shook his head as Hilda fell to her knees. "I have never been one to hit a woman, but drastic times demand drastic measures." He looked at Lex and smiled as he realized that the cage consisted of metal bars. He pointed his fingers upward, and the cage lifted off of Lex. As Lex watched in amazement, Joseph redeposited the cage around Hilda.

Even as Sabrina pulled Faith's hair, tearing a few strands from her head, Faith's hands remained persistently around the blonde's throat. She was quickly losing air, and her thoughts were dimming. She had to break free! Somehow . . . Some way . . . Water suddenly splashed into Faith's face, and she moved one hand to dry it from her eyes and clear her vision. As soon as she got the water out of her face, she realized that her hand was empty. Looking down, she saw Sabrina growing out of the puddle of water she had become. Faith moved quickly, stomping onto the blonde's tiny frame and grinding her bare heels in. She wanted to cry with the pain that shot through her leg, but she would not give in to it.

"You know how it is," Zelda told Jareth with a flip of her hair. "Unfortunately, you don't get to choose family. These two are my curse. What are you doing after this? If you're not tossed back into the Labyrinth, that is?" One of her eyes was drawn to the flapping tail of Wolf's coat, and she recalled that he truly was a wolf. What did wolves fear?

Wolf had not taken his eyes from Zelda even though the battle raged around them and he longed to know what was going on. He did not trust this one. She seemed to be the brains of the family. What would she try on him? She didn't like him, he could tell, and she definitely wanted to get into Jareth's fancy pants.

Jareth, even now, had not taken his eyes off of Zelda. Why, the woman was brazen enough to flirt with him in the midst of battle! He'd love to see Delvira's claws upon her! "After the battle, madam, I hope to be reunited with my beloved. Unfortunately, she was returned to our home, and I am a free agent at the moment at your disposal." He waited to see if she would attack him or Wolf first. He'd dispose of her, all right, head first into the Bog of Eternal Stench! He smiled at her deviously.

Zelda noted the deviousness in Jareth's smile, recalled that he was married to that . . . _thing_ she'd seen hanging on him earlier, and finally struck upon a plan. "Ah, yes," she commented aloud. "You'll have to forgive me, Sir. I forgot you were married, though what you see in her I can not begin to fathom . . . " As she waited for Jareth's response, she acted simultaneously and three-fold upon Wolf. An iron gag appeared over his mouth to silence him; an invisible wall separated him from Jareth; and a snapping turtle became attached to his tail!

Wolf's fingers were frantically clawing, trying to tear the gag from his mouth, when the snapping turtle grabbed his tail! He felt as though a piranha was aloose in his pants! His claws reached for the turtle, and he began circling in a frantic effort to reach the nasty, little thing! He could not even let Jareth know what was going on as they had been separated by a wall that had appeared out of the middle of nowhere! He could not see the wall but had struck it and bounced off, falling to the floor. He knew it was there; he had the bruises to show for it!

Jareth had not clue one of Wolf's dilemma. He could see Wolf standing there, calmly waiting to see what Zelda was about to do, his arms folded across his chest and a disdainful look upon his face. Jareth did not raise to the bait about Delvira. He didn't care what Zelda thought of his beautiful wife. He loved her with all his heart, and he knew that she loved him. He also knew that, if she was there, she'd make mincemeat out of Zelda. He was growing tired waiting for Zelda's attack. "Madam, you fatigue me," he told her, growing more disdainful at every minute that she delayed her attack.

Zelda smiled. "Then let us get busy, shall we?" No sooner had the words left her lips than bricks began to rain out of thin air over Jareth's and Wolf's heads. She did not expect the bricks to do much to Jareth, but she figured that it might help against Wolf, who was still fighting against the snapping turtle she'd conjured. Her smile grew. What a stroke of genius it had been to make Jareth see Wolf as though nothing was wrong! Even now, the man thought his companion was merely ducking the bricks, same as he was! She threw back her head in wicked, amused laughter.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	26. Chapter Twentyfive

**Chapter Twenty-five**

**The North Pole**

Lorne recognized the voice at once. Where have you been, and why didn't you stop Crystal! Don't turn me into ice! Look closer, and you will recognize Crystal's children even if you don't remember me! I'm Lorne!

Angel pulled Cordelia close. "I love you, darling. That's why I wanted you to stay home. I wanted you to be safe. There's no telling what dangers we'll find out here." He was speaking so that only her ears could hear him. "You know Lorne's not a fighter, and if you face the truth, neither are you. I've never been here before. I can't say that, if something was to get you and hold you to keep me from attacking them, that I'd go ahead and attack them. I couldn't attack them. Not if it meant you were in danger.

"That's why it was so important for you to stay back. I would have missed you, but I would've returned safely to you. You are my life, Cordelia; if you die, I cease to exist! Promise me that you will stay close and not endanger yourself. If I tell you to do something, you'll do it without an argument." He gazed into her eyes. He sensed Lorne's pulse rate go up and knew something was going on with his friend. He turned startled eyes toward him, expecting an attack, but there was no one there. He looked at Delvira, but she seemed intent on talking to Cindy and figuring out their best move. "Lorne?" he called worriedly to his friend.

Lorne did not hear him as he was intent on talking to the presence who had made himself known.

Cordelia's arms had slid up over Angel's broad shoulders and her hands had entwined behind his neck, but now she moved her hands to cup his face and turn his head so that his eyes returned to looking into hers. "Angel, I know I'm not a fighter, but I am a part of this family and I am your partner. Perhaps not your fighting partner but your partner in love and, therefore, in life. I promise you I will stay close. I'll be right beside you every step of the way except when you're fighting. I'll give you the room you need there. But I can't promise you I'll do whatever you say, because I'm not going to leave you."

"And don't blame Delvira for my being here. She knew I was there on the shore, and I guess she could have made my presence known. But she knew it wouldn't have done any good. I just would have doubled back when you were distracted again and would have followed through the portal just like the animals did. They didn't come with her knowledge. The portal closed on Elvira's tail. If Delvira was going to let them come, she would have sent them through first like she did with me."

"It's not her fault Crystal's gone, either. You know Crystal could have left at any time. She can use her ice to fly. If she'd flown off, she could have been anywhere between the island and here by this time, and he could have gotten her anywhere. At least, by knowing about where she is, we have a chance of finding her in time, right?"

"You heard Delvira, too. I know you did. When she said that, if not for the Council snatching us, we would have already found her? I bet she had every intention of waking you right after Crystal went through but just didn't get a chance. How was she supposed to know that we were all about to be snatched? Use your brain, love," she concluded, kissing his cheek and searching his eyes with her own, "and not just your emotions." He might be angry at her for pointing out the facts, but some one had to come to Delvira's defense before the two ended up in a fight.

Then, before Angel could answer her, Cordelia recalled what he had said about her being safe. "As for being safe, I've only ever found safety in one place, and that's not back home without you. That's right here. In your arms."

I could ask you the same, but I know how Crys is. Sometimes, she can't be stopped. This was one of those times. At least I made sure she got loaded so she might have a chance. There's no use arguing, though. Are we going after her or not? Jack Frost paused for a moment and then added, Oh, and you know, of course, that she thinks you should hate her now.

"I wonder if he's watching us now." Delvira heard the questioning sound Cindy made and shook her head. "I don't know. I just know that I feel like we're being watched, and I know it's not Jareth or the Council."

* * *

**The Court Room**

Wolf's mind had frantically tried to find a way out of his dilemma, and then a brilliant idea crossed his brain, one that brought a smile to his face. He would crash the dratted turtle against the wall! Just as he was trying to carry that plan out, bricks began to fall out of the air, and he had to dodge them. One hit him on the shoulder, and he knew that it was probably broken as it hurt like Hell. Even so, he kept one thought in his mind: knock the turtle off!

As it was quickly eating his tail, he knew he had no time to waste! Flinging himself forward, he flipped around at the last moment, bringing his tail soundly against the wall with a resounding Thwack! He was rewarded with the release of the turtle off of his tail. He pulled it around and looked at the poor, pitiful thing. Elvira wasn't going to like the looks of this, but it would grow back, he reassured himself.

He got hit on the head that time with a brick as he forgot to duck. It brought tears to his eyes. How to get rid of the gag! he thought and his hands began frantically trying to claw it again only to find that it was part of his skin. How did the bitch do that, he wondered, and how can I find my way around this wall! He began to touch the wall, and slowly, step by step and hand by hand, ever careful to dodge the rest of the bricks, he made his way to the end of the wall. He had to get to Jareth! There was no telling what she was doing to his partner!

Zelda had kept her eyes on both Wolf and Jareth. She had known when Wolf finally managed to free himself of the snapping turtle but had hoped he might lose consciousness if enough bricks hit him on the head. Still, the bricks were doing her no good. It was time to go larger. Trumpeting filled the room as elephants began dropping instead.

"That's it!" a thick brogue exclaimed from the back of the room. "She's nae hurtin' an animal!" Kathleen began to form a fireball only to find Aslan blocking her pathway and shaking his head.

"Captain Chan," Jack told her, going back to before, "I know I can't go racing out there for as badly as I want to, I know it will only make things worse for them and us. You just don't know how hard it is to stay out of it! That's my _sister_ out there!" He looked up into her eyes. "What would you do if your sister was out there!"

Kyna avoided the question. "I can understand your dilemma, Jack, and I know how hard it is for you to stay put, but you must. At this interval, we have no other choice." She looked up as trumpeting filled the room. "Dear Gods!"

"Now the crap will hit the wall! Kat's fixing to get involved!" Jack was on his feet. "There's no way to stop her!" Then Aslan had jumped in front of Kat, and Jack relaxed. If anybody else had tried to stop Kat, they would have worn one of her fireballs, but she'd never go against Aslan. He felt a hand and looked at the woman who was forcibly pushing him back into his seat. He sat down regretfully. Jack wondered what Will was doing at this precise moment in time and if he was thinking of him. Was Will missing him as much as Jack was missing him?

* * *

**On the Other Sides of the Mirror**

"I'm never going to get used to magic!" Will exclaimed. "What are those things! Some sort of Demon!"

All the commotion coming from Phillip caused Eddie to open his eyes as the trumpeting began. He jumped immediately to his hooves and raced over. "Them's not Demons, Will! I thought I'd never see one! Those are flying elephants!"

"Elephants don't fly!" Rachel exclaimed. She had seen some before for her father had an attraction for exotic places, and they had once travelled to Africa.

"Well, those elephants are flying!" Eddie declared. "They're raining out of the sky!"

"The bitch is conjuring them!"

"Then are they real?" Eddie asked.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Ace had tried to crawl up close enough to get a better look at the elephants. Were they real or magic? Had the bitch managed to conjure them from Africa or India, or were they mirages? They didn't seem to be hurt when they hit the ground. Wouldn't a real elephant splatter everywhere if it hit the ground? He saw Aslan stop Kat. He had not tried to, 'cause Kat had even lobbed a few fireballs at him in the past when he had tried to intervene with her doing her duty. He heard a roar in another direction and looked to see Zora and Vang arguing. It looked like both women definitely thought the elephants were real!

A trumpeting elephant, more scared than the rest, decided to make a break for it. He ran straight at the group of Pirates, narrowly missing stepping on a few of them, and running so close to Ace that Ventura reached out and touched the elephant. "IT'S REAL!" he yelled. "STOP THROWING ELEPHANTS, BITCH! NO FAIR! FOUL!" he yelled at Drell and ducked even as he knew a fireball was coming from Kat.

* * *

**The Island**

As darkness settled in all around her, Trina Malloy finally found the courage to move inside her new-found cloak. She had stayed behind when the others had all ran off, stayed behind to see what exactly was in the mirror that was scaring every one away. Had Andrew been there, she knew he would be right beside her, spooked and nervous as Hell but trying to act brave and as determined as she was to discover the mystery behind the mirror. Carlos, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found, but Trent hadn't given him much choice, the way he'd been dragging him along. He'd tried to pull her along with them and she'd gone at first -- going with them just far enough to convince her twin that she had no interest in staying and then pulling her arm free and doubling back.

It wouldn't be long now, she knew, before the boys figured out she wasn't at the house and came to find her. In fact, she was surprised they weren't already there. She wondered who would be the first to realize she was missing and wondered too if Carlos might have stayed if Trent had not pulled him away. She didn't know who would first realize she was missing. Carlos might even already know but might be covering up for her. He had done so before and was also as intrigued and eager to get into stuff as she herself was. Yes, if not for her brother, he would be there with her now.

Trina backed away, stepping further into the shadows, until she was just within earshot of the mirror and the conversation going on around and through it before sitting down. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her chin on her knees. The wind blew her long, blonde hair every which way, and she occasionally had to reach a hand up to wipe it from her eyes. She did not want the mirror to leave her sight for in its glassy reflection she had found an answer.

Last night had been a night full of sadness and confusion. She still didn't entirely understand what had happened with Andrew. All she knew for certain was that he was gone, having left her because, supposedly, he was the Angel of Death, they had had a limited time together that he had never bothered to warn her of, that time was up, and he had had to leave to return to his duties as Death. It was all rather absurd. Most people would have thought it positively insane. Normally, Trina believed even the most "insane" things, but this was too crazy even for her.

Was there really such a thing as the Angel of Death? Was Andrew that Angel, or was he something else? She knew he was something, but what and what was the real reason he had left her in the midst of battle? Her grieving mind whirled with questions to which she had none of the answers, but she knew the mirror could provide those answers. It could show her where Andrew was and what he was doing. She just had to wait for the others to leave; then she could strike and get the answers she so desperately craved.

Had Andrew gotten hit on the head last night? She tried again to remember, but they had all been so busy and the action had been everywhere. For once, he could have gotten hit without her even knowing it. Was he even . . . Was he even alive? And just what had that glowing light been? How had Carlos and Trent passed right through him? Trina sighed. Her head ached almost as much as her heart, but all she could do for now was wait. And wait she would, she vowed. She'd wait no matter how long it took the others to leave. She'd wait, no matter how persistently Trent and Carlos tried to pull her away. She'd wait, and she would get the answers she needed and deserved.

But did she really deserve them? She didn't deserve Andrew. That much she knew for sure. She didn't deserve such a good man so completely devoted to her, but then again, if he'd kept such a huge part of himself secret from her, was he really that devoted to her? Was he even really as wonderful as she'd thought him for so long? She sighed again and began to massage her head.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Aslan was shocked that a fireball had spun over his head. He turned and pounced, knocking Kathleen to the floor and standing on top of the fiery woman once again. "They are real," his dismayed voice carried throughout the room, "but unfortunately, it is not against the rules! You must not intervene!"

No sooner were those words out of his mouth than an elephant dropped down over Ace. Ace's eyes grew big in his face even as he ducked and rolled out of the way of the elephant. As the elephant thundered past, Ace regained his footing. "THIS SHOULD STOP!" he yelled at Drell. "IT'S NOT FAIR INVOLVING INNOCENT ANIMALS!"

"AS ASLAN SAID, IT IS NOT AGAINST THE RULES! NOW SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET, VENTURA, OR YOUR COMPANIONS AND YOURSELF WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!"

Two roars sounded simultaneously from the back of the room. From around Zora's tail, Vang growled to her, asking her forgiveness but explaining that he could not let her intervene.

Ace shut up, but he was not happy about it. Then he decided to say one more thing. "IF EVEN ONE OF THOSE ELEPHANTS GETS KILLED OR INJURED, SHE WILL PAY FOR IT! I'LL SEE TO IT!" he warned Drell.

"FINE, VENTURA, BUT DO IT ON YOUR OWN TIME, NOT THE COUNCIL'S!"

* * *

**On the Other Side of the Mirror**

Connor had jumped to his feet and raced to the picture. He knew Zora was mad, but he was glad that Vang had stopped her from charging full into the battle. There was no telling what the consequences of intervention would have been, but he, too, was not happy about the elephants!

* * *

**The North Pole**

At Cindy's growl, Delvira looked sharply down and then over to where the lioness' growl had been directed. As she saw the snowman staring angrily back at them, Delvira could only manage to say one thing. "Oh," was her dumb-founded response.

Angel touched Cordelia's talking lips with one finger. "I'll have to thank Delvira for her wisdom on choosing the time and place for Crystal's departure. And, yes, my emotions are overwhelming me right now. I never knew I had them until I got you. But you don't understand, darling. Lorne has got Crystal's necklace. She had no intention of ever coming back. She's going to feed herself to her uncle."

"You know what I'm saying is not easy, and I will never send you from me unless I do not think I can win in the battle. I don't want you to fall when I fall. I have been alive for what seems like forever, Cordelia, and I've never been in love till I had you in my arms." His lips touched hers gently, giving her time to digest what he had just told her and not talk.

You mean you got her drunk! How's that going to help anything! Lorne demanded to know. And what do you mean she thinks I hate her! If I had her in my arms, I'd show her how much I do hate her! My body longs for hers; we are not whole unless we are together for she is my soul mate! Please show yourself. It's hard talking to you in my head. The others are not even aware that you are here.

Lorne held Elvira close to him and scratched her under the chin and between the ears, where she liked it the most. Cindy was still with Delvira. He figured as much. If there was a woman involved, Cindy would always choose the woman over him. His keen eyes looked skyward to see Blue circling. He figured Blue could see about as much in these snow-filled surroundings as he could. He raised his arm skyward and called Blue.

When I _get_ there, came Jack's snappy retort, I'll make myself visible! And of course I didn't get her drunk! We Elementals rarely waste time on such things as alcohol and the like. I got her loaded with _weapons_! She usually at least comes with a plan, but oh no, not this time! Not any plan more than giving the big jerk what he wants so that he'll leave you all alone! And yes, she thinks you should hate her now and that, if you don't yet, you will! And here I thought you knew her!

Blue was still circling in his fruitless search to spot something that might help them when he heard his name called. The dragon looked down and saw Lorne raising his arm for him. With a disappointed screech, he dropped from the sky, hurtling directly at Lorne's arm.

Delvira cocked her head slightly to one side as she puzzedly studied the snowman, who was looking at them with a more disdainful expression than the Vampiress could have ever pictured on a snowman. "You know this thing, Cindy?" The only thing she could make out of the lioness' answer was that she definitely did know the snowman and appeared to have extremely little use for him. Delvira wasn't sure if it was because of a past encounter with the snowman or because it was a male, but given the disdainful look on the snowman's face, she decided it must be the first. She strode over to it and peered down angrily at it. "Have you seen Crystal Frost?"

The snowman sniffed as if it was beneath it even to answer Delvira. "None of you should be here."

"I didn't ask for your opinion, snowman. I _asked_ if you saw Crystal." She held out a hand, and a fireball welled inside her palm. "_Don't_ make me have to ask again."

Blue slowed his descent as he hurtled toward Lorne just before he could reach him. He came in talons first, but his grip on Lorne's arm was gentle. He perched on him, cooed sadly, and shook his head. He had found no sign of Crystal but knew she had to be there . . . somewhere . . .

Cordelia gave herself in to Angel's kiss. Her lips parted underneath his masterful touch, and her tongue daringly teased first his lips, then his teeth, and finally his own tongue. Her hands ran over his face, caressing even his ears on their way to burying into his hair, which the cold appeared to have given a rather spiky look.

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Eddie walked back over to the bed and chuffed on Willow. "Wake up, cat! You're missing excitement!"

"Go away," Willow muttered. "Don't wanna see no flying elephants!"

Eddie picked him up by the scruff of the neck, carried him over, and dumped him in front of the screen, almost in Will's lap. "You had best wake up and see that, Willow! Jack almost got into it!"

Willow sat up at attention at those words. "He almost got hit by one of those flying elephants!"

"No, but he didn't want the animals hurt! He was going to intervene, but he got caught by a Chan. That's a meeean woman!" Eddie said, looking at her with his ears laid back and his teeth showing.

"Eddie, you know nothing about the woman!" Will scolded Donkey.

"I know she pushed Jack down! I saw that!"

"If I'd been there, I would have done the same thing! They can not risk intervening right now! Thank Gods she _was_ there to calm him down!"

"He's not calm! Look at him!" Jack's foot was tapping the floor, and his hands were clenched. Kyna kept both hands on him now.

"I know he's not calm, Eddie! He won't be until he's out of this mess! It's a figure of speech!"

"She's certainly got her hands full." Eddie sat down beside Will. "Have you seen Elvira?"

Will shook his head. "She's around somewhere," he assured him. Without taking his eyes from the screen, he reached out and scratched Donkey's head.

Eddie leaned forward so that Will could scratch between his shoulders. "We gotta talk," he told Will conspiratorially. "You got a problem. I got a problem. Maybe we can work something out?"

"I'm sure we can, Eddie, but not now."

"When?"

"Not now. Later."

Eddie enjoyed the scratching, but he wasn't about to let go of the problem. It would have to wait until after the test ended. Will was going to have to help him find Elvira. He was worried about his little love connection. They could both see Will's love connection sitting there, helpless to go help the others, but Eddie couldn't see Elvira and knew he hadn't seen her in a long time. Just how long he didn't remember, but the next time he saw her, he was going to be able to do more than whisper in her ear. Will was gonna tell him how, and then he was going to get advice from Autolycus too, so he was going to be the well-rounded lover! Elvira wouldn't know where he was coming from till it was too late!

* * *

**The North Pole**

Angel's keen hearing picked up Delvira talking to something, and his eyes flashed open just in time to see the fireball about to hit the snowman, who seemed to be alive and talking. He reluctantly broke off the kiss and turned Cordelia so that she could see the same thing he was seeing. "Not only is that thing alive," he whispered next to her ear, "but it's talking to Delvira! It's about to get its butt fireblasted! Can you do something?"

Lorne brought Blue down and rubbed him against his cheek. "Jack's coming. He's your uncle. Maybe you can do something with him? And he thinks that we hate your mother or, at least, that she thinks that we should. Why would your mother think we hated her? Love for her burns so deeply in my heart sometimes I wonder why it has not consumed it! I could never, ever hate your mother! She is the only woman I have ever loved who returned that love! I would go through Hell for her, suffer any torture except for this torture of being parted from her! She knew we would not willingly let her go, yet she knew she had to go or, at least, she thought she had to!" He rubbed his cheek against Blue again, not realizing that a lone tear also trailed down and hit Blue's leathery back.

Nothing that Lorne said surprised Blue. He had already been expecting Jack to show up and had known that Crystal was on her own case yet again. He knew how his beloved mother thought, but how could he explain her reasoning to Lorne, who loved her so deeply and who Blue knew could hate her no more than he or his sisters could? Leaning against Lorne's cheek and letting his own tears fall as they would, he began a long line of explaining coos, grunts, and other calls.

"I don't think Jack said you hated her. He's smarter than that. You got his wording mixed up, didn't understand right. Mom's been wanting to leave us for years, but Jack wouldn't take us. He loves us, but it's his purpose to make everywhere that's supposed to be cold cold when it's supposed to be cold. He's always travelling. She didn't think that was any kind of life for us, 'cause we wouldn't be able to go with him. And thank Gods she didn't think it was or else she would've left us long ago!"

Elvira whimpered inside Lorne's embrace and buried her crying, furry face further into his shoulder. "I knew she was going to go, but I couldn't stop her! She wouldn't let me! She saw me wake up and knocked me out again!"

"She would have done the same to any and all of us," Blue told his sister, stroking her with a wing. "It's not your fault, Elvira. It's not any of our fault's. It's that big . . . that big . . . that big son-of-a-bitch . . . " He thought that was the word he'd heard Faith use. "And Crys' thinking the whole world should hate her again. Doesn't mean she believes it but that she thinks we should. You know she blames herself for everything he's done to get at her."

Lorne continued to stroke Elvira gently. "I know you did your best, girl, but your mother's smarter and more powerful than we are. She'd've knocked me out, too, if I'd've been awake. Even your uncle Angel couldn't have handled her. That's why he's riding his own butt so hard. At least he's not taking it out on Cordelia." His teary eyes had been able to make out his best friend as he kissed Cordelia. "Those two belong together," he told his babies, "just like your mom and I do. We'll find her. Then we have to prove to her that we belong together. We can overcome anything together!"

"She doesn't even know how many died last night," Elvira whimpered, "but she blames herself for all of it!" She paused. Her ears quirked forward.

Blue, too, heard their sister growling and sighed. "What's she raising Hell about this time?" he cooed questioningly.

Elvira pulled out of Lorne's embrace to look, then sprang forward and landed on all four paws in the snow, the fur on her back ruffled and her eyes glaring at the snowman. "You!" she yipped. "You saw her! Where is she!" She began to growl, her lips pulling back from her now-glistening fangs.

Lorne managed to gasp out, "What the -- !", but got no further as his startled eyes stared holes into the snowman.

Cordelia had gasped when she'd first seen the snowman, but Angel's whispered words now had her mind thinking quickly. How could they stop Delvira from melting the snowman, and more importantly, should they? She slid around Angel, her body brushing against his as she did so and sending thrilling shocks through both of them, and began to slowly approach Delvira. "Delvira? What's going on here?"

"I'm waiting for this damn snowman to decide if he wants to be water or if he's going to tell us if he's seen Crys. She came right through here, snowman. We already know that, but we want to know _what_ she was doing and where she was headed." She pulled back her arm, preparing to throw the fireball. "Or _else_." The fire flickered in her dark eyes, and Cindy's growl only served to punctuate her words.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I . . . "

"I've got a better idea," Cordy spoke. She couldn't believe the thought had occurred to her -- what was she doing thinking so wickedly! --, but she had best go with her instinct. "Since he's a snowman, we can probably take him apart, but since he's alive, he should be able to feel pain. Angel could get his head, just move it from his body, and then you could hit the rest of him with that fireball. Maybe then he'd be willing to talk?"

Cordy's idea took Angel by surprise. His mouth fell open, but he quickly closed it. He moved to stand beside the snowman, prepared to take the head. "I'll take his head, Cordy, when you tell me to." He grinned wickedly at her. The woman never ceased to amaze him!

"ShewenttoseeSantaandcamerunningbackbythiswaycryingandshewasprobablyheadedforthewoodsbutsheshouldn'thavebeenhereandneithershouldyoubeings!"

"If she came running back this way," Angel asked, "which direction did she go then? There's a lot of woods around here. I'm sure you know exactly where she did go. Hmm . . . Got an answer or would you like to lose your head?" he asked with a gleam in his eye even as his hands touched the snowman's head.

* * *

**All Sides of the Mirror**

On the other side of the mirror, Ray looked questioningly at Wolverine, but he shook his head, telling her wordlessly not to volunteer the information that they knew Elvira and the others had gone off to the North Pole to fight that Ice Demon thing. "Later," he mouthed. She nodded, and her worried, green eyes immediately returned to Kitty, who had phased her group through another thundering elephant.

"HOLD STILL, WILL YOU, YOU CONFOUNDING MALES!" Zelda screeched as more elephants rained from the ceiling. By some miracle to them and curse to her, Jareth and Wolf continued to manage to avoid being landed on by all the pachyderms. "Very well!" she exclaimed, holding up a hand. "Let's have a change!" Suddenly, the elephants disappeared, but before she could be attacked, a new raining began. This time, it was boa constrictors, huge anacondas, and crocodiles!

A new sharp pain raced through Faith's foot, and she bit down on her tongue to keep from screaming. The damned thing must be broke, because otherwise she would have been able to handle the pain a lot better. She fell backwards off of Sabrina, who was growing again, and Faith's eyes flashed as she saw that the little blonde had stuck her with a knife. "Fuck you!" she spat, but Sabrina was growing too fast to drown in her spitball.

"Euuw!" the blonde exclaimed, trying, without success, to shake the spit off of her. She shot upwards, growing as big and tall as a tree and adding weight simultaneously. By the time she was finished, which was but a matter of mere seconds, she had become a gigantic sumo wrestler. She jumped Faith, but the brunette rolled out from under her just in time.

"You think this will stop me?" Hilda laughed, and the cage vanished. "Remember. I conjured it." She looked at the two men. "Too bad I can't just transform you two into something. Maybe some sweet little puppy dogs?" She shrugged. "Oh well! Sometimes we have to do things the old fashioned way!"

"Indeed we do," Joseph observed. Then he yelled, "ANY ONE SITTING IN THOSE CHAIRS, BETTER MOVE!" Chairs suddenly began flying at Hilda, and then daggers from the Lost Boys followed suit. Joseph concentrated, his hands glowing blue, as he located everything metal in the room and began slinging all of it straight for Hilda.

The minute James had seen the crocodiles, he started climbing. He first climbed up Smee, which wasn't high enough. Then he managed to get a hold of one of the dais. He pulled himself up, sat on the bottom rung, and glared down angrily at all of the melee of reptiles, who seemed to be looking at him and licking their lips. "SMEE," he yelled, his mustache quivering to the point that it looked like it was about to pop off of his face, "DO SOMETHING!"

"What?" Smee asked. "What can I do!" He was desperate to do something but had no idea what. "You naughty beasts, leave my Captain alone!" He wagged a finger at them.

"Don't worry. They'll not be drawn to him much longer, though I don't know why they were in the first place. You stupid animals, you're supposed to go after _them_!" Zelda slung two large pieces of raw meat at Jareth and Wolf.

* * *

**Chong & Hansel's Bedroom**

They lay side by side on the floor, sweat pouring over their glistening bodies and their breathing coming in hot, heavy gasps. Their hair was a mess. Their clothes were Gods only knew where, and they certainly didn't care. Hansel gazed openly at Chong out of the corner of his blue eyes, but Chong looked away each time he looked at Hansel and found him staring at him. He was just before getting to his feet when Hansel pushed himself up on an elbow, reached out a hand, and softly gripped Chong's right testicle. He caught him there and rubbed him with his fingers. His thumb moved back and forth over the dark hairs, and Chong's stallion immediately reared again. "H-H-H-Hansel . . . " Chong could barely get his name out.

Hansel leaned up and over Chong and gazed into his lover's brown eyes, all thoughts of Derek gone. "What?" he whispered innocently. "You don't want to play Around the World in Eighty Seconds?"

Chong had never really figured out why Hansel called it that. They'd never timed it, and he doubted it only took eighty seconds. He grew even harder as Hansel perched on his knees and took Chong's left testes in his right hand. His shaggy, blonde hair fell into his eyes, and he shook it out of his sight and grinned down at his partner. "Don't tell me that you're tired of lassoing, cowboy. Besides, you ain't gotta do the work here. Just lay back and enjoy."

Hansel's back tensed as he lowered over Chong and took his sword into his mouth. He licked it at first, his teeth lightly grazing the tender flesh, and then sucked. He slowly drew his head back up as he sucked until he released Chong's member. He kissed the tip, then began ever-so-softly nibbling and eagerly licking again. His hands kept a natural rhythm running with his mouth's actions as they massaged Chong's testicles.

Chong could feel Hansel's own hard steed hanging down between his knees. He reached a hand down, ran it lovingly over Hansel's calf, and caressed his steed. Delighted surprise shone in Hansel's eyes, and Chong grinned at him. His grin was interrupted with a sigh as Hansel again drew his teeth along his sword and slowly released him. "Hansel . . . "

"Yeah, Chong?" he breathed his name.

"Let's play Around the World in Eighty Seconds." He grinned at him, and his nose wrinkled mischievously.

Hansel leaned up, kissed Chong's nose whose wrinkle he thought was one of the cutest things he'd ever seen, and then grinned back down at him. "That's my little Chinese otter."

Chong beamed. It had been so long since Hansel had called him that!

Hansel leaned down and kissed Chong long and deep before rising again. "Come and get it, sweet thing," he murmured throatily before jumping back and swinging around. When he stopped moving, his feet were on either side of Chong's head and his mouth was again over Chong's steed.

Chong grinned and wagged his eyebrows. He slapped Hansel's rear, and his steed shot up into Hansel's mouth even as he called out, "Giddy up, baby!" He then immediately took Hansel into his mouth.

* * *

**Autolycus & Elizabeth's Bedroom**

Toly could not get enough of Elizabeth's smooth, creamy skin. He had never seen anything more beautiful! The moonlight filling the room enhanced her skin with its lovely glow and made it appear even more silken. Toly's hands and lips strained to reach every spot of her deliciousness at once! Finally, the poetry began to come to his mind, but as soon as it started to, he knew it would not work on Elizabeth. Even though it had worked many times in the past, Elizabeth would know it had been used and was old trash. Her luscious breasts perked at him, and he lavished great attention on them, his tongue tasting each drop of her perfume.

He was oblivious to everything but Elizabeth. How had he ended up with her, the most perfect, beautiful thing in his life? She was worth more than any of the most perfect jewels he had seen in his lifetime, and there had been many of those! In fact, he had just lost a fortune the night before on the ship! Toly, you're a fool, he told himself, and you are totally lost!

Why was his silver tongue not coming up with any words to tell Elizabeth? Why was it failing him in his most important foray? He feared she would think he was cold, but her moans of pleasure told him that she was enjoying each second!

"Elizabeth, your beauty has overwhelmed me. I . . . find myself at a loss for words. You're the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me, and you have taken every taste of jewels from my tongue!" He could tell that he was stumbling all over himself, yet he knew that she was the cause of it and he was glad. He was tired of being lonely. His last coherent thought before he gave himself completely up to passion was to thank Aphrodite for giving him some one to love him, some one to fill his every dark hour and to give him reason for living.

Elizabeth could not believe that it was finally happening! At long last, she was practically on the verge of losing her virginity! She would soon be a real woman! Her body arched against his, and she moaned still louder as his every touch swept her higher up into their passion. She was already working on his pants, but now as she had a few buttons unbuttoned already, she slipped a finger in and rubbed it against the taut flesh of his sword. Her smile grew. She was not surprised to find him without underwear, and the lack thereof would only serve to free them of the burden of their clothing even faster!

His moan as her fingertip rubbed his sword was as much music to her ears as her moans were to him. His words had touched her, but now, to Elizabeth, was not a time for words. She wondered, though, if she should say something. Perhaps sing his praises as he did hers? She could think of nothing she had not already said, however, nothing new to excite him, entice him. Another yodel blasted through the house, and she decided she'd best come up with something quickly before Autolycus lost interest.

"I hope," she breathed, "that you're not saying you've lost your Pirate inclinations. I love you, Autolycus, and I'd love you even if you weren't a Pirate, but if you weren't . . . " She paused as she finished unbuttoning his pants with her other hand for the one she had started the deed with had continued rubbing him. She carefully pushed his stallion back in, feverishly shoved his pants down, and then took his sword into both her hands. " . . . we'd have to work on it," she finished her statement as she began massaging his mighty steed with both hands.

He seemed to be at a loss, and she hoped it wasn't because of her words but whether because of the fire that was threatening to consume her and, she hoped, he, as well. Her hands left his sword, caressed his muscular thighs, and ran back up to where his hands were still working on removing her underwear. "Dear, don't take this the wrong way, but can't we hurry this whole removing clothes thing along? I want you so badly! I need to feel you inside of me!"

"I do not want to hurt you," he murmured against her breasts, "or hurry this too much for you." He licked her nipple and nipped her gently with his teeth.

She stopped trying to help him with her underwear at those words. She knew he could hurry this along but did not want to scare her. "Toly," she announced, cupping his head in her hands and lifting his face so that she could look directly into his eyes, "you're not going to scare me. I promise you that. I don't scare easily any way," she added with a mischievous wink she'd picked up from him. "I want to feel you against me, skin to skin, no clothes in the way, every inch of you against every inch of me." She leaned down and kissed him full on his lips, her tongue dueling briefly with his. As she pulled away, she continued to gaze into his eyes. "Take me," she moaned to him. "Plunder me!"

He needed no further encouragement! With his knees planted on either side of her body so that she would not have to bare his weight, he rose above her and quickly stripped off her clothing. Buttons tore, and fabric ripped. For a brief moment, he worried over her reaction, but then she threw the clothes from her, shoved her robe up over her head, and tossed that as well. Before he could move to his own clothing, Elizabeth had stripped him of his shirt (she had already removed the vest earlier) and was trying to shove his pants down further. In one smooth acrobatic movement that he was surprised he could manage as Elizabeth had him so befuddled, Autolycus leapt up, snatched his pants off, and fell back to the bed.

The buoyancy tossed Elizabeth upwards, and her breasts struck his hard chest. She gasped, but before he could ask if she was all right, Elizabeth had wrapped her arms around him and captured his lips in an even more passionate kiss than all that they had shared before. Her fingers nestled into his ebony hair, and she pulled him down over her. His sword thrust into her furry mass, and she sighed against his lips. Her hands moved down his back, caressing him, and his fingers ran through the silky strands of her long, blonde hair. "Elizabeth . . . " he moaned her name against her lips as he tested her waters.

Yes . . . Yes, she was ready! He started to enter her slowly at first, and his mouth captured her lips to silence her scream and keep them both from making as much noise as Chong and Hansel were for he knew she'd be embarrassed over it in the morrow. Their tongues clashed together as he thrust deeper and their bodies joined at long last . . .

* * *

**The Court Room**

Jareth was not too worried about the snakes, but the crocs were something he had not been around before. Why were they looking at James as though they wanted to swallow him whole? When Zelda had thrown the meat, he had daintily side-stepped and threw some of his own snakes straight back at Zelda. Delvira had taught him a trick or two, but then he had always had plenty of his own. Snakes were very intelligent creatures, and he had often used them in the past to the point that they were almost his pets. They saw Zelda's snakes and began to chase them straight at Zelda.

Wolf saw the crocs and the fresh meat coming straight at him. He deftly caught it and threw it back to the crocs. If they had been dogs, they would have wagged their tail in thanks. It had been a while since Zelda had bothered to feed them. Wolf looked around for more meat but did not have any, and it wasn't as though he could open his mouth and ask Jareth to conjure some. He was glad that Jareth was dealing with the snakes. He never had liked those nasty creatures. He still had not found the opening in the wall and did not realize that Jareth could not see the shape that he truly was in. He had thought several times before that he was at the end of the wall, but each time he had discovered that the wall merely turned and continued. Maybe if he could reach Jareth, Jareth could get the gag off?

Zelda screeched and took to the air, large, scaly wings growing from her back. This clearly wasn't working; it was time for a change! It was time . . . to do her dirty deed her own self . . . Scales swiftly began growing over her body, and a long, spiked tail sprouted from her rear end. The very instant her mouth became its new form, she opened it and breathed fire down upon Jareth and Wolf.

Wolf screeched behind his gag, but no sound came out. He could not believe that she had changed herself into a dragon! Even though his hands and feet were free, he could not think of any way to fight against the dragon, and he knew that, if Jareth did not turn in time, he would not see it coming! In desperation, he threw himself at the wall and passed through, falling at Jareth's feet. Wild, terrified eyes looked up at Jareth and then toward the ceiling.

Jareth turned just in time to see the dragon baring down upon him. He threw his arms upward, and lightning flashed from his fingers. It was a direct hit on the dragon, but he couldn't tell that it had hurt it as it circled and returned. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to get Wolf freed and fight the bitch at the same time. Again, he threw lightning at her, aiming for that one vulnerable spot that all dragons have on their chest.

As Zelda roared out and Hilda started being hit with all sorts of metal things, the younger Spellman sister suddenly had enough! Her sister, she noted with a glance, was going down. That left Sabrina and herself, and she had known the whole while that Zelda was their best bet. "DAMN YOU!" Hilda screeched. "DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!" She shot out her hands, and Lex, Joseph, Jareth, and Wolf hit the floor as various pieces of meat at the same time that Zelda, in dragon form, hit the floor. She skidded to a stop against the wall even as crocodiles began pouncing upon the meat.

"ENOUGH!" Merlin shot to his feet and froze the teeming mass of crocodiles in mid-stride. "HILDA HAS JUST DISQUALIFIED HERSELF! YOU WILL RETURN THE MEN TO THEIR NATURAL FORMS THIS INSTANT!" he demanded.

Hilda looked poutingly up at Merlin. "Do I have to, Merlly?"

"YES, INDEED, YOU DO, MISS SPELLMAN, AND DO NOT CALL ME MERLLY! IF YOU EVER CALL ME THAT NAME AGAIN, YOU FOUL, WRETCHED WOMAN, I WILL TURN YOU INTO MEAT AND DANGLE YOU OVER A CROCODILE PIT!" He wondered why in the Hell she kept calling him that disgusting name! She was the only broad he'd ever been with who had never shown him true respect!

* * *

**The House**

Spike was restless. He walked the hallway of his grandsire's new abode, lost deep in thought. He missed the billowing of his trench coat around his legs, but far more than that, he missed Kyna. He wondered what she was doing now, what trial she was facing, whose butt she was kicking. He feared for her but nowhere near the amount the others feared for their lovers for he had faith in his wonderful, powerful, beautiful, and brilliant lady love. He knew she could overcome any and all odds thrown against her, especially now that he realized that she could only be killed by offspring that they would never have.

Or would they? Was it possible? After all, Angel had a son now -- Connor. The boy smelled strongly of his parents and definitely had their stubborn streak. He had a feeling Connor also had an unhealthy dose of Angel's valor. Actually, Connor reminded Spike quite a bit of Angel, and thinking of the two got the brooding Vamp to wondering where the male members of his family had buggered off to. He started to sniff while walking, and his mind suddenly flashed back to Cole and Carl.

He growled at the memory that Cole thought he was to blame for Carl's injuries and that the bloody Demon had seen him crying. He growled even more angrily at the memory of those public tears that never should have fallen from his betraying eyes. Cole undoubtedly thought them to be tears of remorse for an act Spike never would have done -- attacking, almost killing, Carl.

Spike hadn't seen Angel with the group that had gathered around Carl, but he had seen Connor and then lost track of him. Did Connor also think he had attacked Carl? Did Angel know, and did he suspect as well? Or did his grandsire finally know that such a brutal attack upon a trusted alley was no longer in Spike's capabilities? If Kyna had been there, would she have set them straight?

_Yes!_, the answer reverberated loudly within Spike's head. She would have not only defended him and set them right but would have also almost eaten them in the process for even suggesting such a horrid thing! Ah, yes, his Kyna would have . . .

**_Kyna!_** He could smell her! Angel's and Connor's scents were all over the house. He wasn't surprised at that, but Kyna's scent -- ! It could only mean one thing! Spike let out an excited whoop and ran after the scent of jasmine flowers; the herbal tea she liked so much (though Gods only knew why - Spike couldn't stand the taste); Chinese silk; warrior's spirit; and strong will. All those coupled together with Kyna's very own, unexplainable, inexplicable, mind-boggling aroma were a heady combination that screamed Kyna to his every yearning sense and made his heart pound, his mind whirl giddily, and a certain part of his anatomy that he was surprised to hear from at all that night come suddenly to life!

He ran to the room her scent was coming from, barely able to contain his joy and keep from yelling her name much like Hansel was now yodeling Chong's, and burst through the door. He failed to notice that, in his rush, he nearly broke the door off of its hinges, but what he did immediately notice was that the room was vacant and appeared identical to their cabin aboard Destiny's Ghost except for the windows! Spike paused just inside the room, a look of confusion falling over his features. He stuck his head back out the open door, confirmed that he was indeed still in the house, and turned back around to face the room.

Their desk was there with their bookcase filled to overflowing with books, scrolls, and little odds and ends that they had picked up from their journeys through the world or around the world, as Kyna would say. She did, after all, prescribe to the ridiculous notion that the Earth was round whether than flat. Their candlebras hung on the walls with the very same candles they'd burned the previous night. At least, Spike thought they were the same candles, but when he looked closer, he saw that they were intact and looked as though they'd never been burned!

Oil paintings hung in the very same places in this room that they had in their cabin, including the one a friend of Kyna's had made of he and her that was positioned over their canopy bed. The canopy fluttered, and Spike caught a glimpse of Kyna's nightgown laying on their bed. That was a bit much! he thought with a growl as he strode over. Who would dare mess even with her clothes, especially clothes so utterly private! He snatched the short piece of silk from the bed and sniffed it. At least they hadn't washed it, he thought, allowing his eyes to drift shut and his nose to inhale her delicious scent again. Ah, yes, this was definitely the same nightgown! Spike sank onto the bed, holding the gown to his face and breathing in his beloved's scent. Definitely the same nightgown, just the way she'd left it on the bed that morning, with her scent to match! He could even smell their activities of the previous night! He began to recall the memories of those activities as he continued breathing in her delicious aroma . . .

* * *

**The Court Room**

"AT ONCE, HILDA!" Merlin demanded.

"Poo!" Hilda exclaimed, but she lifted the transmogrification spells, returning the men to themselves.

Jareth shook himself, scarcely believing that he had been meat only a mere minute before and that the crocs had been descending upon him for, despite the fact that he had been meat, he had been very much aware of what was happening! What a Hell of a way to go! he thought. I'll have to remember that the next time my enemies are attacking!

"Remove his gag," he told Hilda, indicating Wolf.

"I -- I can't! Only Zelly can, and look at what you did to her!" she exclaimed, pointing at where Zelda lay in a crumpled, burned heap. "You awful, awful men! Salem deserves you!"

"Damn straight he does!" Faith exclaimed. Even Sabrina had become distracted by what was happening with her aunts, and no one had seen Faith grab hold of a sword that had flown by except for Joseph. When he had witnessed her grabbing hold of the blade, he had left that one piece of metal alone, and Faith had acted quickly, scaling Sabrina like she was a mountain. She had only called out when she had the blade aimed right over Sabrina's heart, and now she drove her sword in.

Sabrina screamed and returned to normal, Faith falling on top of her but keeping the blade in. "YOU MUST NOT KILL HER, FAITH!" Drell called out. "THE SPELLMENS LOSE! SALEM IS FREED OF THEIR GUARDIANSHIP AND RIGHTFULLY FAITH'S! GET A HEALER ONTO THAT FLOOR NOW!" Although Faith had pulled the sword out, Drell's bellow had not come in time to keep her from entering Sabrina's heart, but the girl would, much to Faith's dismay, live.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Lorne watched Elvira and gave her plenty of room to attack the snowman if she so chose. He stroked Blue. "We have to listen to the women a little more often, Blue. Sometimes, I think they have more sense than we do. Are all the beings in this Gods-forsaken land alive and able to talk?" He figured Blue would know since he did come from here.

Lorne's nose quivered as he smelled the odor again. He had not told any one, but it smelled so good it made his tummy rumble. He'd ask Jack, once he got there, what the delicious odor was. When was the last time that any of them had eaten? If Lorne could track down what was causing the smell, he and Cordy could eat before they went into battle for he was sure his stomach would give him away. "I am beginning to believe it has a life all its own," Lorne grumbled.

Blue looked pointedly at Lorne's stomach, then flew off. He landed on the street and began to scamper about, trying to get Lorne to come over and look. He knew Mrs. C didn't like the road to be eaten but didn't care.

"I don't know where she went, just that she went that way!" The snowman pointed a waving stick in the southerly direction. "It's not like I can get up to go see or would have even wanted to!"

Elvira whined. Cindy looked at her lupine sister and then growled. Elvira yipped; Cindy hesitated but then growled again.

Lorne stood and walked over to where Blue was indicating. He could not believe the road that he could now see! Could it be possible that it was made of something edible! He walked over, picked up a piece, and sniffed it. It was where the delicious smell had been coming from! He took a nibble and found that it was the most delicious gingerbread he had ever tasted! He filled his pockets and his mouth and began to chew hungrily even as he made his way back to where they were still interrogating the snowman. He moved up next to Cordelia and handed her a piece. Whatever it was, it would do to fill them up! He continued to eat even as he heard the snowman declaring that he knew not where Crystal had ran to. In between bites, he mumbled, "Jack's coming. He can find her."

Cordelia stared at the piece of something that Lorne held out to her. It must be food for he was chewing, but where had it come from and what was it? It seemed familiar, but she still couldn't place it. She hadn't even realized how hungry she was until she found herself staring at what had to be food. She had to slow down her hand's eager movements for she wanted to snatch it from him but didn't want to appear greedy. She managed to take it without snatching it, popped it into her mouth, and began to chew. She sighed at the taste and closed her eyes as memories of long ago threatened to snatch her away.

Christmas had always been a joyous celebration at their castle. For once, both of her parents had been around more. She remembered setting up the tree, trimming it with both her father and mother, her father lifting her high over his head so that she could put the star on top of the tree . . . She recalled sharing the Christmas snacks that her mother had claimed to cook when, in fact, Cordelia had known she hadn't. Neither her father nor she had ever called her mother on her lies, however.

Her father hadn't always been so terrible. When she had been very, very little, he'd actually been a good father or, at least, she'd thought he had been. That's probably what it was. After all, she realized as her mind flashed again to the times he'd picked her up and held her high so that she could put the finishing touch on their tree, his hand had always somehow managed to find an area he shouldn't have been touching . . . Cordy's eyes popped open; her face blanched; and she swallowed hard. She would _not_ go there! Not now, not ever again! She wouldn't --

"I wish it was that easy. I might be able to find her. I think I know where she's headed. But I usually locate her by the necklace. That's part of the reason why she gave it to you."

Cordelia's eyes went to the blue boy who hovered in the air behind Lorne. "And leave Frosty alone," Jack told them. "He doesn't know where she went. He wouldn't have paid enough attention to know, but one day . . . " Jack himself now glared at Frosty, the snowman. "One day, you're going to know the truth about our uncle, and you're going to regret the way you've acted and how you've treated her. You all will!"

"David Frost is a . . . "

"Don't go there," Jack told Frosty angrily. "Don't go there or I might just let her fireball you!"

Frosty shut up.

"_You're_ Frosty the snowman?" Angel asked, glaring angrily at the snowman. "I always thought you were good! At least in the tales that were told about you! And yet you turned on my sister! You are a creature of evil! Maybe I should let her fireball you?" he suggested, looking at Delvira.

"It's good to see you, Jack," he told the boy. "Lead us to Crys if you are able. She didn't want any one to find her; that's why she gave Lorne the necklace. But find her we will, and if it's . . . " He let the words hang in the air. "We will overcome the enemy. We'll make him pay for everything he's ever done to her! And then I'm coming back to get you," he told Frosty, "because you could have helped and didn't!" He turned to look to see what Lorne and Cordy were eating. It looked so good he wished that he could eat human food. "What is that?" he asked Lorne.

"The best gingerbread I've ever tasted!"

Frosty's coal eyes nearly popped out of his head as he watched Lorne and Cordelia both eating another piece of the road. "Mrs. C is going to be mighty miffed!" he exclaimed. "You shouldn't be eating that! Put it back!"

"Chill, Frosty," Jack told him, using a term he'd just recently overheard for the first time. "You know all the children eat it. Let her be miffed. It'll give her a chance to cook some more, and you know that's all she ever has to entertain herself with any way since she only gets the other once a year!"

If Frosty could have blushed, he would have, but instead, he asked nervously, "You're not going to let her fireball me, are you, Jack?"

"No. Not yet any way. Delvira, put that away. You don't see me icing your subjects, so don't burn my people."

"For now, Frost," Delvira told the ancient being with the face of a boy. "For now only." Her fireball melted back into her hand, and she turned to look at him. "Now where do you think Crystal's headed?"

Elvira looked up at Jack and whined. He nodded. "I think you're both right. She's headed to his place, and we'd best get a move on. I hope you guys don't mind flying." The words were barely out of his mouth before the party found themselves raised into the air and beginning to fly toward the south.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Drell rapped his gavel against the dai, and the crocodiles, snakes, invisible wall, and Wolf's gag all vanished. He sneered down at them. "SAVOR THIS VICTORY IF YOU MUST, PIRATES, BUT THE TRIALS ARE FAR FROM OVER. IN FACT, THEY'RE MERELY BEGINNING."

As Drell bellowed above, James let go and landed beside Smee. He threw his arms around his beloved and covered his head in kisses. Smee tried to fight James off, but his flailing arms beat helplessly against Hook as he continued kissing him. Drell did not look in their direction.

Jack jumped to his feet, free of Kyna's grip at last, and raced forward to congratulate his people. He picked Faith up but was very careful as he knew her foot was injured and had witnessed her leaning off of it. "Do not grumble, little sister," he smiled at her, his gold tooth winking. "Damn you beat them good! Let me help now; I couldn't before."

Her eyes thanked him, but Faith still grumbled, "I'm fine, Birdboy," through her grin. "Where's Salem?"

Salem was winding in and out of Jack's legs as he attempted to walk, and he increased the volume of his purr so that it reached Faith's ears. "I haven't been this good in a long, looong time!" he called upward.

Lex, too, rushed over. "How is she?" he questioned Jack, but it was a different voice that answered him.

"She will be fine. May I?" Albus asked, looking at the three smiling faces and holding his wand out over Faith's foot.

"Thank you, Dumbledore," Jack told him before shifting his attention back to Faith, "and you, Little Firecracker, let some one do something for you for a change."

"Besides," Salem called, "you're going to need that foot if you're going to continue to keep me safe."

Faith's smile grew, and she nodded.

* * *

**The Other Sides of the Mirror**

As Drell's words washed over the small group that was gathered, cheers erupted from Dawson's throat. He could not believe what he had just seen and that his Faith had overcome it! Lex had turned out to be the Ace in the hole that she had wanted him to be, and they had won! He turned to look at Will and Connor, who had also jumped to their feet.

Connor rushed forward and hugged Dawson. His cheers added to Dawson's. "What a great beginning!" Connor exclaimed. "Now we just need to beat the rest of them!"

"I wish we could tell them how proud we are of them," Dawson agreed.

Will was grinning from ear to ear and had even whooped excitedly as the other young men had, but he did not rush forward to embrace them. Jack's people were amazing in their abilities to overcome such horrible odds, even Faith whose constant rudeness had been a steady embarrassment to him every time he was around her! He grinned at the boys. "We can't now, but we will. They'll make it through this yet, and when they do, we can congratulate them!" He'd show Jack how proud he was of him, and he'd plan a way to celebrate that would blow his boots right off!

A shadow of dismay crossed over Will's face, and he sombered briefly as his mind flashed back to all that had been done to him. He hoped that he would be able to show Jack as he wanted to, but what if he couldn't? He had been healed, but was his sword up to the feat? Forgetting that he was not alone, he cast a worried glance downwards, then quickly looked away as he heard Donkey's hooves against the floor.

On the other side of the mirror, Rachel exclaimed happily, "I knew they could do it!"

Wolverine had moved over and picked Ray up in a triumphant hug. "We won, girl, an' against some awful bad odds! Now if the rest o' 'em can just beat 'em!" He could hardly wait for 'Ro to come home. He'd plan a welcoming celebration for her, one that would even surpass the last time they had made love!

Rachel returned Wolverine's hug, surprised that she had no trouble at all being open with this man who was renowned for his gruff, butt-kicking attitude. Actually, his reputation was not that different at all from her own brother's. She heard what she thought was a rumble of thunder and looked questioningly up at the sky.

"Sorry," Rubeus mumbled sheepishly. "I get hungry when I get excited."

"Let's go home an' get something to eat, bub," Wolverine said, looking up at the Giant. For the first time, he had actually met a Giant that he liked. Most of the people in the world were taller than Wolverine, and it had never seemed to bother him before. He considered himself every bit as big as they were. His stomach rumbled in return. "Can't remember when I ate last. Maybe Piper cooked something."

As Wolverine started to lead the way up to the house, he paused and sniffed the air. The others' scents were all over the place still, but for a moment, Wesley's had struck his nose more than any of the rest of them. Wolverine shook his head, dismissing the scent as unimportant as he thought that Wesley had gone on to the house with the others and reminding himself that Wes would have to be dealt with but that it could wait until the trials were over.

Eddie walked ever so slowly over closer to Phillip until he was eyeball to eyeball with the mirror. He glanced back once to see that Will was intently looking at something on his lower body, but he couldn't tell what it was. Maybe the boy had gotten something on his pants? He saw that Willow had returned to Jack's side of the bed and was sound asleep. Cats never seemed to have a very long attention span and tired rather easily, Eddie thought. Dawson and Connor were still celebrating their victory.

From his place on the bed, Willow opened one sleepy eye. He had been awake for the first test, and he felt that he had strained and pulled, trying to help them, every bit as much as they had been working hard, trying to win. One paw brushed his nose. He was proud of Jack's people. They had to be tough and hard workers to be deserving of his Jack! He couldn't wait till Jack came home and announced that he would be the ship's cat. He closed his eyes, and a rumbling purr came from him that turned into a snore.

When Eddie was sure no one was paying any attention to him, he whispered to Phillip, "Psst! I know you're in there! Show me Elvira please! Not the woman, the wolf!" He waited impatiently, his rear end quivering.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Lex waited until Albus had healed Faith's foot before whispering to him, his blue eyes full of concern, "Is it true? Are the others okay?"

"They are fine," Albus quickly assured them, "and thank you." His eyes met Jack's. "Especially you, Captain Sparrow."

"You're welcome. We can only try to do our best. We thank you for your help." He continued to hold Faith despite the fact that he knew she could now stand on her own. It felt good to have some one to hold on to. Thank the Gods Will was safe! "Where are my people?" Jack asked him. "Are they truly on the island?"

Albus nodded even as Minerva came up. Their hands brushed each other, but they made no further contact. "They are safe, Captain Sparrow, though they long to be here." He looked past Jack's shoulder and winked upward. "They are as here as they can be for now."

"What do you mean?" Jack questioned.

"You will know in time," Albus told him, looking at him once more, "but they are closer than you think."

Jack looked strangely at Albus. He knew he was capable of anything. "Can . . . they hear us? See us? Know what's going on?" Gods, I miss Will!

Albus nodded and winked with a finger next to his nose. "Some can, my boy. Some can."

And your Will is amongst them. The voice of Charles Xavier came unbidden to their minds. And your Dawson, Faith.

Jack took a deep breath and then looked into Albus' eyes. "What comes next? Whose trial is next?" Later, he planned, to let Will know he loved him always and for all time. He did not want to embarrass him, but there was no way that he could keep his love quiet. His eyes were drawn toward James, who was still trying to reach Smee's lips despite Smee's efforts to fend him off. Would that be what became of him and Will? He prayed not. He closed his eyes, seeing Will in his mind's eye, even as he listened to the next words spoken.

"GOOD WORK ON YOUR FIRST TRIAL," Drell's voice rang out disdainfully. "NOW, THAT EVERY ONE'S HEALED AGAIN, ON TO YOUR SECOND."

Albus' words never came, and the group found themselves falling, falling . . .

* * *

**The North Pole**

Crystal stopped suddenly. Something was watching her, following her! She was no longer alone! "It's about time you showed . . . " Her words froze in her throat as she turned around and did not find her uncle but whether a multitude of animals. Wolves, polar bears, arctic foxes, snow hares, cougars, penguins, forest mice . . . Every kind of animal known to the North Pole, with the sole exception of reindeer, had followed her here, a mere mile away from the place that she knew she could get Frostbite's attention at if nowhere else. "What are you doing here!"

A mouse squeaked but did not shriek like the one in the wreath on Santa's workshop's door had. A bird cried out from the sky. A wolf whined, and a lioness whose appearance painfully reminded her of Cindy growled. "Please, you must leave! Get out of here! Go!" They stayed, however, not a single one making any motion to leave and all arguing with her in their own natural language.

New tears sprung to Crystal's heart-broken eyes. These animals remembered her. They knew the truth of David Frost. They had never turned from her and still considered her one of their own. Much like the Pirates of Lorne's and Angel's crew, of her family. Shouldering the weight of the gun that Gods only knew where Jack had gotten, Crystal wiped her tears away from her eyes with the back of her free hand. She had to make them leave. She didn't want to hurt them, but if they stayed, they'd be killed because of her and she would let no other die because of her.

"I SAID GET OUT OF HERE!" She yelled, but still they did not move. Predator and prey stood side by side, looking at her with understanding, compassionate gazes. Her heart and soul longed to go to them, but her brain demanded that she did not. She had to follow her mind; her heart and spirit had cost the lives of far too many already. "**_I SAID GET OUT OF HERE!_**" she roared again, making herself sound as furious as Cindy did during that time of the year, and slung a torrent of snowballs at them. She forced her tears and emotions to stay in check as she pelted them with snow. Roars, shrieks, and other cries met her ears as the animals rushed off. Finally, when she could see no one still remaining, Crystal stopped the snow. They were gone. Thank Gods, she told herself forcibly, for that meant that they would not be killed, at least not because of her. She turned and continued on a few yards before again sensing eyes upon her. She turned around but could see no one. Her skilled eyes began scanning the area. She turned slowly, checking everywhere high and low that she could see. She even peeked beyond the trees to the clearing she was headed for, the clearing where it had all started when she had been four years-old . . . Still she could see nothing and no one. She rose her head to peer up at the dark sky where snow was falling heavily from, but just as she moved her head, she caught a glimpse of movement.

She looked swiftly in that direction and sighed at what she saw. A fox was still following her! She recognized this fox. It looked like one she had played with when she was young and still innocent. It might have been that one, or it could have been a descendent. She couldn't tell for certain from the distance that separated them, but judging from the way it watched her, it probably wasn't a descendent. "I told you to get out of here!"

The fox looked steadily at her. He opened his mouth in a yip to start a conversation but never got any further as his small body suddenly exploded into a thousand shards of ice. Crystal screamed at the sight. She'd sworn not to let her emotions show, but the scream was out before she could stop it. She whirled around and saw him dropping from the sky. His jagged, icy body clouded the sky, putting out what little light there had been. The now-howling wind became his voice. "You called for me, my little Popsicle! Are you finally ready to give in?"

"Sure I am!" Once more, Crystal called upon what she had learned during her all too short stint with the Pirates, with a _real_ family, she thought again. In one swift, fluid movement, she raised the gun and began shooting directly up toward where she could see his glowing red eyes. She would not live past this day or night, whatever it was, but she would go out with a fight!

**To Be Continued . . . **


	27. Chapter Twentysix

**Chapter Twenty-six**

**The Kitchen**

Piper hummed as she worked around the kitchen, stirring a pot here, kneading dough there, and constantly checking on what she already had baking. She usually hummed when happy, but now she hummed just to have something to hear besides the yodeling and yelling coming from upstairs. A deep blush was firmly in set into her features, and she was glad that her sisters were all in the bed so that they could not hear it. Of course, however, knowing Phoebe and Paige, they were listening to the sounds with all kinds of naughty thoughts running through their heads while they kept watch over Joxer and Carl. She said another prayer for Carl, though she still wondered from time to time if any deity was listening and, if they were, if they even cared.

Piper had just been taking a pan of cookies out of the oven when the door burst open. She looked up, expecting trouble, but relaxed when she saw that it was only the big African called Bishop racing back into the room. "There are things out there!" he announced.

Piper couldn't help a sly grin. "That's an understatement," she told him. "We tried to tell you to stay inside."

It was at that exact moment that Hansel let go with another yodel of Chong's name, and for a second, Piper would have sworn that Bishop had turned white. "There are worse things in here!" he declared. He turned and ran through the door in the same direction he had just came from. His poor cat was still holding on to his broad shoulders for dear life and yowling all the way. Piper wondered how the cat's lungs could hold out, and then her thoughts turned to Cole.

She certainly hoped all this racket didn't wake him. He would not be glad to find that she had slipped out on him, but she hadn't been able to help it. There was no way that she could sleep now, not after everything that they had just gone through, but Cole needed his rest. She was glad he hadn't tried to talk when they went into their room and was thankful that he had instead just held her close while he drifted to sleep. She knew he'd be ticked, however, to say the least, if he awoke to discover that she'd frozen him once he'd passed out and crept out of the room. She wouldn't be surprised if he started yelling the moment that he discovered that he was holding a pillow instead of her.

She slid another pan into the oven and pulled out a cake. She surveyed it with a thoughtful eye and stuck it with a small wooden stick to make sure that it was done. Satisfied, she set the cake on the table with the rest of the foods she'd already baked and turned back to mixing the raptor meat she'd found with some sort of leftover sauce. She wasn't sure what the sauce was, but it tasted good and she knew it must have been one of Chong's things.

Piper was busily buzzing around the kitchen again when a giant clap of thunder sounded from the doorway. She whirled around, her brown eyes wild, and stared at the Giant who was stooping low to enter her kitchen. His face was in the dark, and she didn't recognize him. She squeaked her surprise, dropped her bowl, and started to back up, her hands raising defensively.

Following closely behind Rubeus, Wolverine looked at Piper. "Don't. He's a friend," he told her. "Sorry if we gave ya a fright. We've been out on the beach for a while, an' our stomachs got the better o' us. Rubeus, meet the best little cook in the whole world, Miss Piper Halliwell."

Rubeus held out his hand with a genuine smile on his face. "I can hardly wait to eat your food, Miss Halliwell. It's been days since I've eaten anything, or at least, it seems like it! I actually had breakfast yesterday morning, but it seems like a million years ago! I've been waiting on this cursed island until you returned and didn't find anything good to eat here. Wizards never bother with preparin' food; they just conjure something up when they get hungry. Unfortunately, I don't have that knack." He gave her another bashful grin even as he waited on her to invite him on in.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Phillip's surface swirled. The court room vanished in a pool of colors, and when the mirror finally settled again, it was pure white. Eddie gasped. "What's that?!" he asked in a tremulous voice, his ears laid back against his head. He glanced fearfully back toward Will only to find that his boy was now looking at him in concern.

"What's what?" Will questioned. His imploring gaze then shifted beyond Eddie to the mirror. "What happened to the court room? What is this, Phillip?!"

"This is as close as I can show you to Elvira."

"Is that . . . sssssnow?" Eddie asked, his voice growing higher. He heard a slight gasp from the other side of the mirror but did not recognize who it was.

Will's mind was quickly putting two and two together, and he placed a comforting hand on Eddie's broad shoulders. "Phillip," he asked point-blank, "did Elvira go to the North Pole?"

"Yes," the mirror answered, "to both questions."

Will stroked Eddie's back. "Is she alone?"

"No."

"Who's with her?"

"Lorne, Angel, Cindy, Blue, Delvira, Cordelia, Jack Frost . . . "

"Are they in trouble?" Eddie asked, fearing the worst. "Is . . . You Know Who there?"

Connor and Dawson had both moved closer to the mirror so as not to miss anything. Connor had been going to ask the mirror about Zora and Vang when he had heard Eddie ask about Elvira, and now he gazed at the mirror in concern. His father was there! So was his mother! Why had they gone without him? They needed his help, or at least, he hoped they did! He now listened for the answer to Eddie's question, praying that they were not in trouble, or at least nothing that they couldn't handle. He wondered how his other fathers were making out and said a silent prayer for all his family.

"Which You Know Who?" the mirror questioned.

"The one that starts with F," Eddie's voice quavered.

"No," the mirror answered.

Will's mind was now racing. Jack needed his help, but he couldn't reach him. "He may not be there now, but he will be." His voice was taking on a tone of command that would have surprised him if he had taken the time to consider it, but he did not. "They need help. We need firepower." He looked at the three who accompanied him. "Who's still here with firepower? Any one?" His eyes moved quickly from them to begin glancing about the room.

"Firepower?" Eddie questioned as he looked at him. "Delvira's there. She has firepower, but we can't reach Kat and we can't use the catpeople." Yowling feline voices echoed through the house as if to affirm his statement, and another yodel ripped through the air. "We don't have a Sorceress!" he cried. "They're occupied! Cole has energy balls. They would help!" His mind searched anxiously for any one else who could throw a ball of any kind. "I think that's all."

"Who's in charge now?" Connor asked. "With Captains Jack, Kat, and Kitty gone, are you in charge, Will? We can't just take off and leave without some one staying in charge!"

Will looked at the boy for a moment, a perplexing mixture of emotions shifting through his dark eyes. "There's only one Captain of the Pearl," he said, not giving the Sea Witch a second thought. "Some one will have to take charge. It's not going to be me. You need to stay here, keep an eye on the court room, and make sure they're all right. At least, as best as you can." His eyes shifted to Connor and Donkey. "One of you find Cole; the other, locate a Halliwell. They may not be Sorceresses, but they are Witches. If you see any one else you think can help, let them know what's going on. Hurry!"

Will turned his back toward the trio and rushed to another side of the room. He grabbed a burlap bag that he had spotted in the corner, opened it, and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he reached in with both hands and began withdrawing weapons he had made. He did not know how they had come to be returned to him, let alone how they had survived the wreckage, but he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth with so much trouble on the horizon.

Dawson ran straight away to Captain Xena's room. To his way of thinking, she was the only Captain left to them, and they needed her help desperately. He was surprised that Will had taken charge. He thought about Wolverine but remembered the whole mess that had happened between Xena, Gabby, and Wolverine and did not want to dredge that up. If Xena wanted Wolverine, he'd go look for him.

Xena had not fallen asleep yet. She had given up trying to get Chong and Hansel to quiet and had been laying still beside Gabrielle, holding her beloved and thinking, letting her mind wander over the things that had been bothering her over the last couple of days. Some one was messing with her mind, and she hoped to find out who it was soon. She didn't think she was going crazy; yet, at times, she wondered if she was. She kept remembering scenes from that day but could not place where she was or even what she looked like or what she was seeing. It was like a nightmare from whence she could not awaken herself. Her eyes fluttered closed just as the door received a hard knock. "Yes?" she called out, her eyes flying immediately back open.

"You're needed, Captain Xena, right away! Come to Captain Jack's room!"

"Be right there," she replied and slowly began to extricate herself from Gabrielle only to find Gabrielle's eyes flutter open. She smiled at her and kissed her on her forehead. "I've got to go see what's a foot," Xena told her. "You can come if you want to, or you can rest a little longer." She tried not to let her mind go on to think about what had happened to Gabrielle that night. It scared her to think how close she had come to losing her, and her hands itched to have Callisto in her hands one more time so that she could squeeze the very life out of her.

Gabrielle sat up immediately. She yawned but kept her mouth closed, not wanting to give any signs as to how exhausted she truly was. "I'm right behind you," she murmured and got up to follow Xena.

Xena headed for Jack's room, wondering what they'd find there. Her hand went to her sword the minute she spotted what appeared to be a gigantic mirror hanging on the wall that was totally white. "What is that thing," she asked, "and why do you need me?" She saw that Will was laying out weapons, and her hand went for her chakram but realized it was missing. She wondered where she had lost it at and how soon she could talk Will into making her one.

Dawson continued to stare at the swirling snow in the mirror, giving Will a chance to answer Xena.

* * *

**The North Pole**

While Frostbite was distracted by the dagger that stuck in his ice, Crystal moved quickly. She slammed the bo staff into the ground and used it to spring upwards and flip higher than she normally would have. As she was flipping through the air at a dizzying rate, she pulled out the trident, hit the button she'd already figured out would unfold it, and held it at the ready. Frostbite roared as the trident hit his lower area. Crystal wasn't even sure if she was above or below his knees; she couldn't tell what was what in his current form except for his glowing, red eyes; the black hole where the only light was his glistening fangs that was his mouth; and his icy fists that were each the size of a small cottage.

She flipped around the trident a few times and then, just a barrage of ice daggers and both Frostbite's massive hands came towards her, she flipped on higher. His hands barely missed her, but the winds raised by their movements threw her off of her intended direction. She managed to continue flipping through the air, but she was far too off course now . . . She pulled the sword out as he shattered the trident and drove it into his body.

She held both hands to the hilt of the sword, looked up again through narrowed eyes, and zeroed her gaze in on the spot where she was hoping his black heart might be. Though she'd always sworn he didn't have one, she knew he must have at least enough of a heart that there was something that pumped blood through his ice-cold veins, something that kept his circulation running and kept him living. She flipped again through the rain of ice daggers and the hands that closed in literally just behind her.

Hail the size of morningstars struck her face. Ice shards flew all around her, slicing into her body at various spots. She bit down on her tongue to keep from screaming and tasted her own blood as she continued determinedly flipping. When she began to approach the area she was hoping might work, she pulled the pistol out of the hem of her pants and started firing.

* * *

**The House**

Eddie raced for the kitchen. There's somebody down there who can help! he figured. He knew that some one was racing in and out of the kitchen all night long, eating. He'd wandered through the kitchen at night himself, helping himself to whatever goodies Piper had left. He knew she had not had time to cook, and then his nose started twitching and his tummy rumbling. Could she be cooking already? Maybe Cole was in the kitchen? He quickened his step.

* * *

**Somewhere**

The others' screams had faded away into nothingness, but he had continued barking bravely the entire time he had been falling. With each bark, he had told the ruthless Council and its egotistical members exactly what he thought of them, their threats, and the way they treated people, especially his King, himself, and all the others who had been brought together underneath their power-hungry hold. He had told them exactly what he thought of them, but it had done no good for they had not even bothered to dignify him with a response. "Silence is your answer, aye?" he yipped angrily at them. "You take the coward's way out then, you -- "

The Knight's words suddenly transformed into gurgles as he plunged into icy water. He took in water and immediately began to sink, but he fought the tide. He pushed and pulled against the raging water, shivering the whole time and kicking with all his might. At last, his sharp eyes caught sight of pale moonlight flickering on the water's surface. He pushed harder and was seconds from breaking free when something nipped his tail. Stifling a yip of pain, Didymus whirled around. One hand moved instantly to draw his blade while the other moved behind him to check on his poor tail.

Didymus found himself looking directly into the eyeball of a fish that was not even half as big as he was. The dogman reminded himself that despite the creature's size, its teeth surely made it a foe to be reckoned with! He swiped at the fish, but the fish darted back. Didymus moved forward, then swam quickly backwards as a larger fish came behind the one that had bit him and swallowed it. An even larger fish came behind that one and swallowed that one.

Didymus swallowed hard, his eyes growing hard and his mouth aching to bark as he saw a still bigger fish swim swiftly along and swallow that one. As each fish was swallowed, the new fish turned its beady eyes upon Didymus, but not a single one had a chance to move toward him as, always, it seemed, a larger predator came along to devour it. Didymus had no idea what kind of twisted world he'd fallen into, but he turned and swam as fast as his small, furry legs could carry him. He wanted no part of this sick dimension and only hoped that he could get away before a fish three times his size (he'd already witnessed one twice his size be eaten) came along!

* * *

**The House**

"She's done it to me again," Cole murmured. He tried to figure what had caused him to lose a few seconds in guarding her. He had been trying to put her to sleep and had thought he'd almost succeeded as her breathing had been lightened. He knew she had been through Hell that night, and he trembled to think that he'd almost lost her. His hands clenched in fisted rage against the bitch who he had killed with his bare hands a thousand times over.

Where was Piper? Then it came to him. She'd be in the kitchen. It was the one thing that gave her solace. When she was most upset, she tended to overcook. He shimmered into the kitchen just at the time that he heard Eddie clomping in. He noticed that Wolverine, a redhead, and the Giant were seated at the table, already feeding themselves, and that on every surface available, Piper had something laid out either already cooked or about to be cooked. He walked over and stood behind her, sliding his arms around her and giving her a gentle hug. "Couldn't sleep, yet you managed to get away from me. What did you do to me?" he murmured so that only her ears could hear.

"Help yourself, Donkey, or get somebody to help you," Piper had called to Donkey as she had heard him enter the kitchen. She had not heard Cole enter, however, nor sensed him come up behind her. She was solely intent on her cooking, occupying her mind with all the things she was making so as to keep herself from remembering the events of the horrible night before. She had just straightened and began to stir a pot again when arms slid around her. She jumped at first but then relaxed underneath Cole's touch, recognizing him before he ever spoke. She leaned into his embrace, her lips slowly turning up as his breath washed over her neck. His lips brushed her skin as he spoke, and she realized that he was anything but mad. "I thought you were asleep," she offered in a whisper.

"I must've been more asleep than I realized, or did you freeze me? I would've come down here with you."

Before he could say anything else, Eddie moaned. "I really would like to, Piper! It looks so good and I'm hungry, but Will wants Cole right away! And a Halliwell! Will said must have a Halliwell! He said you may not be Sorceresses but you are Witches!"

"Are you at the point that you can leave the food for a while, Piper?" Cole glanced warily around, not knowing much about cooking except that his Piper could do a great job of it. He grabbed a biscuit and put several pieces of bacon in it. "I'll just make a couple of these. I'll eat one, and I'll take one to Will." He began to munch on his while waiting for Piper's answer. He did not realize how hungry he was until he took the first bite and it melted in his mouth like a piece of Heaven.

Rachel had slid her chair back and gotten to her feet the very moment Donkey had started in about how Will wanted Cole and a Halliwell right away. "Donkey," she questioned the animal, whose use of the English language still startled her, "what is it? What's going on? Does it have anything to do with Kitty?"

Piper, too, wanted to know what was going on to make Will, of all people, call for Cole and herself, and as she considered the status of her foods, opening the oven door and surveying its insides with a critical eye, she listened for Donkey's reply. She also heard the delighted sounds creeping out of Cole's full mouth and couldn't help but grin despite her worry and sadness.

Wolverine stood up and filled his plate again. "Great food, Miss Halliwell! 'Preciate it. With Jack at the trial, Will probably thinks it falls to him to handle anythin' that comes up. Captain Xena's probably in there 'bout right now. Whatever it is, I'm sure she can handle it." He returned to his place at the table. Actually, he was frothing at the bit to get to the trials, and whatever Will thought he was trying to handle didn't occupy his mind. His boy and his woman were at the trials, and he had every intention of finding a way of getting there.

Eddie looked at Ray. "It doesn't have anything to do with Captain Kitty, and I think it's a secret. Will didn't say nothing about me telling anybody about what it was. All he said was bring 'em. I guess he's gonna tell 'em when they get there." Eddie eyeballed Wolverine. "Euuw!" was all he said.

"Don't ew me, Donkey," Wolverine said. "It's a honest mistake. Far as I know, you were the only one who was there with the boy at the time. I never would've thought it was that damn China man."

Rachel looked from Eddie to Wolverine. Then she lifted an apple and telekinetically held it before Donkey.

"You can come. Will did say anybody helpful. You ain't coming though!" he said, looking at Wolverine. He took a large bite of the apple. He didn't know how she had done it, but he knew that the apple had come from the redhead.

"Don't wanna come. Tell Will he can get into any trouble he wants to by himself. I've had enough trouble fer the last couple o' days. I've got a new plan fer a couple o' more."

Rachel was not satisfied with Donkey's answer. Curiosity pulled at her mind, leading her to do a quick scan of the animal's brain. Her mouth fell open; her green eyes widened. "Where in the world are they, Donkey, that it's snowing?" The words had no sooner left her mouth than Lockheed screeched and Wolverine nearly choked on his food. She knew neither of those reactions could be good.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YA MEAN IT'S SNOWIN'?!" Wolverine roared. "Is he here?" He leaped to his feet, ready to do battle.

"Stop calling me Donkey!" Eddie stomped his foot. "My name is Eddie. I can't spell it, but Will said my name is Eddie. And, no, he's not here! They are there," he stated it matter-of-factly, looking intently at Wolverine. "So you're interested now, huh?"

"Maybe," Wolverine growled.

Rubeus had been sitting, ignoring the conversation when it had first gotten started as he was fighting his stomach and feeding his face as quickly as he could. It was the best food he had ever eaten! But as voices raised and it appeared that there might even be an argument, he started paying attention. "I cook, Miss Halliwell; I can watch yer food while you see what Will wants. Is he the Captain?"

"No, bub, he ain't," Wolverine told him. "But he's next to the Captain. I'm goin' up too," he eyed Eddie, making sure he stayed out of the way of his hooves, "and I don't need yer permission, ass."

"We'll see about that," Eddie told him. "Will don't want you." He turned around to where he could get aimed, but Wolverine just moved again, keeping barely out of the way of Eddie's hooves. The two began to circle each other even as Cole waited for Piper to give the Giant permission.

Piper had been wiping her hands on a towel. She had smiled gratefully at Rubeus and had been about to answer him when she heard Wolverine's remark to Eddie. Her eyes flashed, and she slapped the towel down on to the counter. "_Wolverine!_" she scolded. "You know how Eddie feels about that! I swear, with Auntie 'Ro gone, you seem to be the regular a-double s!"

Rachel had managed to calm Lockheed, and now she also glared at Wolverine. "Men!" Her green eyes moved to Eddie. "Forget him, _Eddie_. He's not worth it." Turning to the table, she telekinetically grabbed several plates and rapidly filled them with food.

"Gotta find a reason fer ya to go!" Eddie told him. "It sure ain't yer manners! They stink!" He made an ugly face at Wolverine.

"So do you. Jack gets back, he's gonna fuss! Remember what he said about baths!"

"When's the last time you got one, ugly?"

"That's quite enough of that." Piper threw her hands out at Wolverine and froze him in mid-snarl. "Eddie," she spoke in a firm voice, "go up to Will. Tell him we're on our way. Rubeus," she smiled at the Giant, "thank you. Just make sure it gets done, please. I have a feeling we'll be gone a while."

"I'll pack you some supplies. You're goin' to need 'em, but I'll need to know how many people are goin'."

"Soon as I know something," Cole told him, "I'll shimmer back down and tell you." He reached out, took Piper's hand, and shimmered the both of them up.

Eddie circled around Wolverine one more time, and when he reached the rear, let go with both hind hooves, throwing Wolverine against the nearest wall. Then he headed for his boy. He and Wolverine would never get along again unless he apologized to his boy. How dare he think that Will would do an animal unless Jack was the animal! With that thought in his head, he hurried quickly up the stairs.

Rachel was the last one to leave the kitchen. She paused on the staircase and looked back at Wolverine. Lockheed did not pause or even slow but cooed urgently for her to follow. Rachel shook her head. "Maybe there was something to Dad not liking you." She sighed heavily. "That'd be a first." She turned and headed up the stairs, several plates of food following in the air behind her.

Wolverine heard Ray's words as he was able to move again. He breathed heavily. "Reckon I'll have ta apologize ta Will. But what else was a person ta think?! I'll apologize ta Eddie, too." He rubbed his sore rear and then headed up the stairs.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sean sat up and looked around at the beautiful, lush country side he was in. The only light Sean had was from the full moon that stared down at him, and he knew that he was all alone but yet he heard something. His keen ears listened, and soon he could tell, as he continued to walk forward toward the sound, that it was a song being sung by a woman. He could not make out the words for he was too far away, but they sounded so beautiful so he continued walking, hoping that he would soon find the singer of such a beautiful song.

He had, at first, began to think of his beloved Em and wondered where she was, but then as he came upon the singer of the song, his mind was boggled for before him stood the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, who wiped his mind completely clean of any thoughts of Em. He could understand her words perfectly now; she was singing of love that she would freely give to him and of a river that ran free and clean that consisted of a whiskey. She was offering him love and drink.

The old Sean would have jumped at it. Part of him fought this. Somewhere, Emma had to be! He knew he loved Emma, so why was he even considering the beautiful redhead who stood before him? Her eyes were limpid pools, and he could see very plainly in the moonlight that they were green. They reminded him of the lush meadows of his youth where he had courted many a girl and had had made sweet love to them in the green grass. "Who be ye, lass, an' from whence di ye come? Yer song reminds me o' home."

She spoke not a word other than her song but winked and crooked a finger at him to tempt him to come and follow. She led him to the river that she was singing about, and Sean looked down and saw that there was not a living thing in the river, just whiskey. He knew its depths hid its gloom and despair. He did not want to partake of them again. "Where's me Emma?" he asked the woman, but she only shook her head and sang a different tune, still trying to lure the man into her silken webs. He was Irish, and she planned to have him before the morning light. He would be hers.

* * *

**The House**

Connor had been searching for Cole but had not found him. He sniffed the air only to sniff a very familiar scent, his newly-found uncle. He could help! He should be definitely interested in going to help his brother! He walked over to the door that was slightly ajar and heard groaning and moaning sounds coming from within. Did he really want to go in there?! Was Spike all right?! He pushed the door tentatively only to find that it swung completely open, revealing a bedroom. Connor spotted a shadow on the bed but could not make out whose it was nor what was happening for the canopy curtains that fell down, separating him from the sight.

"Kyna," Spike moaned, unaware that he was no longer alone and lost in the scent and memory of his beloved.

"Sssspppike?" Connor called. He knew full well that Kyna had been one who remained alone at the trials. What was Spike doing? He wasn't alone. There was something in there with him. Connor wondered what it was as he cocked his head to one side, surveying the other shadow. It was small, though it stood erect, and appeared to be . . . in Spike's lap?!?! "Huh, Spike?" he called again, a little louder.

Finally hearing Connor, Spike quickly covered his aroused steed with Kyna's nightgown. "Whelp," he almost yelped, "what are you doing in here?!" He growled.

"The door was open, and . . . we need your help. Dad took off with a group to rescue Crystal. Will wants to go after them."

Spike hesitated. "You don't think your father can handle it?" He kept the nightgown firmly down.

"You know Dad better than I do. What do you think?"

"What's he up against?"

"You Know Who."

Spike paused. "Huh . . . No, I don't. Voldemort?"

"No. FB. Crystal's uncle."

"That _thing_ from last night?!"

"Was it only last night?" Connor asked. "It feels like last night lasted a million years! The thing that froze everything and then broke it into a million pieces! He killed your ship and some of your crew!"

The realization hit him. "Willow," he growled, and his sword immediately deflated. He returned Kyna's nightgown to its place on the bed beside him and hurriedly snatched his pants back on. He jumped from the bed, landed in a pool of moonlight, and buttoned his pants back up. "Let's go."

Without making a comment, Connor headed back toward Will's room with Spike following. He wasn't about to ask Spike what had been going on. Even though it embarrassed him a great deal, he never let on. He was surprised to see how many people had gathered that quickly and were all now intently looking at Will.

* * *

**A Forest**

She awoke to a world of pain unlike any her old bones had known in a long, long time. Her head spun, and she groaned as she opened her eyes. She blinked several times as she tried to get the world around her to come into focus. Where was she? Where had they thrown her, and how bad would her test turn out to be? She didn't think she deserved a really tough test, but one could never tell with the Council. At least half its members liked to throw truly horrid things against the ones who were tried by it, and she knew that Severus, despite his loyalty to Albus, would gladly have sided with those others in her case . . . as long, of course, as Albus did not realize his true reasons for doing so.

She sighed. She knew that the Wizard did not like her, and she knew the very reason why. She would never tell Albus, but it was not for the same reasons that Severus thought. Still, despite being tried with the others, she really did not think she deserved anything that bad. Focus, Minerva, she told herself. Forget what you do or do not deserve for you know that matters naught to the Council. Access your situation.

Her eyes travelled the tall, tall green things that circled her, and she found that they were gigantic trees, all covered in thick, green foliage. She eyed each one in turn before beginning to move, but when she could not find any sign of a threat, she finally forced herself to her feet with quite a bit of grunting and groaning. She really was getting too old for this, she thought with a grimace against the pain and the protests of her body.

Once she was on her feet, Minerva looked all around again, but still she could see no sign of any threat. Next step, she thought, access your instruments, your choices. Her hands patted down her robe and then back up again. She had only felt something in one pocket and now stuck her hand in there. Her wizened fingers closed around a piece of hard wood, and she brought it out with a relieved smile lifting her wrinkled mouth. At least, they had returned her wand to her.

Now for your choice. She looked all around yet again. There appears to be no threat, but as you know, appearances are often deceiving. You can wait for it to find you or go looking for it . . . She was just beginning to decide to wait there for her test to find her, whether than attempting to find it and get it over with, when something cold and slimy slithered across the back of her neck. Minerva froze, her eyes shooting wide . . .

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Will had barely had time to swallow his surprise at Xena's entrance before Cole and Piper appeared in the room. The fast striking of hooves upon the stairs had met his ears, and then Donkey had burst in a second later followed by a purple dragon Will recognized as belonging to Kitty and then a redhead he didn't recognize. He'd started to answer Xena, who he could tell was becoming impatient, and had been interrupted by one final arrival . . . or so he thought. Spike slid in a second behind Connor. He was followed by Wolverine, who Will glared at and then looked away from.

"Some of you might know this; some might not," he started, looking back at the weapons he'd scattered across the bed, far enough down away from the pillows so that he hoped he would not disturb Sebastian and the cat who seemed to have started following him. "But Crystal's gone after her uncle. Those of you who know that story know what that means. For the rest of you, that Ice Demon thing from last night is her uncle."

"'Heed, calm down," Rachel whispered. "We'll get him back or die fighting." Lockheed cooed snappingly at her, and Ray shrugged as she lowered the plates of food down in front of Will, Xena and Gabrielle, Dawson, and Connor and Spike. She'd had one for herself but now passed, knowing that the others had not eaten whereas she herself had. "I didn't say it was supposed to be comforting, but it's the best I can do and be honest."

"A group's already left after Crystal," Will continued, "but we all know what a threat her uncle is. The ones who've gone after them are Angel, Lorne, Cordelia, Delvira, and Crystal's animals." At the ticking noise Eddie made, Will clarified, "Elvira, Blue, and Cindy."

The room was filled with silence. Wolverine cleared his throat. "I believe I owe ya an apology, Will, so I'll give ya one again. I don't know how ta make it up to ya, but I wanna go do what I can to help. That is, if you'll let me go." Wolverine didn't like to ask for permission to do anything, but he didn't want to impose on Will's little expedition and unman the boy again. "An', yes, Eddie, that apology goes ta ya too."

"'Bout time," Eddie said with a chuffing noise. "Will's too good for me. He's honest and loves Jack very much! He wouldn't be doing that with anybody else, male or female!" he corrected. "Nobody talks bad about my boy, but I accept your apology. Best not happen again, or I will kick ya again!"

Wolverine rubbed his rear ruefully. "I know how that feels. I guess I deserved it," he said gruffly. "We need ta get supplies."

"Rubeus was making up some, but he wanted to know how many were going." Cole looked at Will.

"Wolverine, you're welcome to come," Will announced, "as is anybody else who can help and wants to." He had finally looked up when Wolverine had apologized and had done a double take at the sight of the plate offering in front of him. He tentatively pushed it toward Eddie. "Here. Eat, and be quick about it." He looked back down to the weaponry, quickly calculating who needed weapons and what might be best for who. "Piper," he called, realizing and appreciating that Donkey had made a great choice in his selection of Halliwells, "do you or your sisters have any firepower?"

"No." Her response was quiet, and it was only Will's question that finally took her gaze from Wolverine. "Not that we know of, at least."

"A spell, then?"

"Perhaps, but we've lost the Book."

Will looked up at her in surprise. Damn, he thought.

"Maybe ya haven't?" Eddie offered. "Lost the Book, I mean. Have you looked in your room? Everything we lost seems to be coming back."

"That's not true," Xena interrupted. "My chakram is still missing."

"And my sai," Gabrielle added. "And you still haven't answered Xena's question, Will. What _is_ that thing?" She pointed at the mirror.

"Every one, meet Phillip," Eddie told the group. "He's a talking mirror." He paused, allowing any one to say something. When the room burst into voices, he allowed Will to talk and began to eat the plate as quickly as possible.

Connor and Dawson had both grabbed their plates, wondering where they had come from but not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, and began to eat their food rather quickly. Now they talked quietly to each other. "I'm not a fighter," Dawson told Connor. "I need to stay here. I would be more of a danger than a help, but you should go."

"I am going," Connor told Dawson and then looked at Will.

Will nodded to the boys, giving each his approval but not bringing any attention to their conversation. "As crazy as it sounds, the mirror does talk and has been showing us things that's been happening to the others. They've passed the first test."

"You mean I could have seen Kyna and you whelps didn't bother to come tell me?!" Spike demanded heatedly. "Fat lot of help you are, boy!" He growled at Connor, his hands balling into fists.

"We didn't think about it," Will came hurriedly to Connor's defense. "They were invited by me. The others haven't been too long come up from the beach."

"They're back?"

"No. That's not what I meant." Will quickly shook his head, unconsciously tucking his neck a little further down into the collar of his shirt. "The others who were watching the mirror haven't been too long returned from the beach."

"There's another mirror down on the beach?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yes. Look. We don't know how much time we have before Crystal's uncle finds them. We can't exactly see through all that snow what's going on. Piper, will you look for the Book, please? It could be in your room or your sisters'."

"I'll look in mine," Piper told him. She didn't want to disturb her sisters, and she certainly didn't want them determined to fight against Frostbite . . . or anywhere _near_ him, for that matter.

"I'll take you," Cole offered and shimmered her to their room.

Eddie looked at Spike. "You can have your chance. You can stay here. You can come. But if we had told every one, there would've been arguments and no one would've seen the first trial. I don't know what's going on now. We haven't checked in a while. All we can see here is snow. You can't talk to them, but you can ask to see Kyna." He grinned at Spike. "Sometimes seeing is a great thing, but sometimes not." He grew quiet, watching Spike to see what he would do next. He hoped the Vampire wasn't going to get ugly but got his hooves ready just in case.

"They can't see us or hear us," Connor told Spike. "And the shock of it is also new to me. I didn't think to share it with you. Sorry, but I'm really worked up over Dad."

Spike charged forward. Most of the others quickly moved away from him, giving him room. Only Xena and Wolverine stood their ground. "Show me Kyna," he growled at the mirror.

"No," Phillip told him.

Will looked up with a gulp. His hand unconsciously closed around the handle of a sword.

Spike grabbed the mirror in both hands and shook it. "Show me Kyna!" he demanded with a snarl that displayed his fangs.

"No."

"Why the Hell not?! You want me to rip you to shreds?!"

"I will not show you Captain Chan until you ask me politely."

Several pairs of eyes looked from the mirror to Spike. Rachel stepped up behind Spike. "This one's not going to be able to, Phillip," she told the mirror. "But won't you please just humor us and show him Kyna?" She really did _not_ want a pissed off Vampire on her hands.

"I do not appreciate demands."

Ray rolled her eyes. Males! It didn't matter if they were human, Vampire, or mirror; they were all alike in their testosterone-filled attitudes! She reached out a hand and caressed Phillip. "Please?"

Phillip had not felt a touch so smooth in a long time. He couldn't even remember being caressed a single time since he had been transformed into a mirror. His image flickered. The picture swirled . . .

* * *

**A Cavern**

Darkness surrounded Kyna as she picked herself up. She dusted her clothes off, a habit she had picked up from her first husband who had always detested dirt. It took her almond eyes a moment to adjust to the pitch-black darkness, and when she did, she realized that she was in a cave. She looked up but saw no openings but only stalactites ranging for as far as she could see. She looked down, and her eyes scanned the cave. She immediately realized that her test was already beginning for she was in a cave filled with coffins.

Kyna was vaguely aware that her jacket had been returned and that it seemed to be its normal weight. Did that mean, she wondered, that her weapons, too, had been returned? Sliding a hand into her jacket, she felt for a moment and then breathed a silent sigh of relief as she located a stake. Her hands removed dual stakes, and she started forward to the nearest coffin. This one was a bit smaller than the others. She opened it carefully, and two red eyes flew open as the lid lifted. "Mommy!" a young Vampire cried out. "There's a human looking at me!"

The moment its mouth opened, the other lids on the other coffins began getting knocked off. Arms thrust out. Yells surrounded her. Kyna remained at the ready, her stake already heading in for the child's heart. Something large swooped over her from above. Its booted feet collided with her shoulders, sending her stumbling slightly. She reached for the thing with both stakes but did not make contact. Laughter filled the cave and echoed through the surrounding caverns, warning her that she was in a maze. "You will not take my people from me!"

**To Be Continued . . . **


	28. Chapter Twentyseven

**Chapter Twenty-seven**

**Somewhere**

Ace had fallen and landed on top of the most horrible thing he'd ever seen in his entire life: a gigantic T. Rex! He closed his eyes and tried to go within himself to calm himself. Nothing he'd ever learned had prepared him for this! The T. Rex had roared and tried desperately to dislodge the little man from where he sat in his ear!

How in the Hell did I manage to get in a T. Rex's ear?! he wondered. And where's Kat?! What would she do in a situation like this?! I've never willingly killed an animal before, but this time I may have to! That did not sit too well with Ace for, of all the things he believed in, he believed most in never killing any animal. Humans were different. He hated humans. So did Kat, and that's why their crew had had very few humans on it.

He looked at the puny, little arms on the T. Rex and figured that he was in about the safest place he could be, because the arms were just too short to reach the ear. In fact, the arms were too puny and short to reach anything, and the huge beast kept roaring, shaking its head, Ace clinging for dear life. Then Ace began to detect a different sound in the roaring. It was full of pain, and Ace wondered what the Hell was wrong with the beast. Had it been attacked, and was dying now? He looked downward as far as he could see which was not very far on the huge animal, but there was no blood.

The T. Rex had reached a fallen tree and now was beginning to frantically rub its mouth up and down. Whatever was bothering the huge beastie must be in its mouth, Ace thought, which was the absolute last place Ace wanted to be! He tried to talk to the huge monster, and at first, all he got back was roars. Then the T. Rex grew quiet. It didn't know what was talking to it as Ace was no more than another flea to it.

"Tooth," Ace finally picked up. Something was wrong with the huge monster's tooth, and he knew he'd have to go down for a closer look! Ace started checking his pockets, trying to see if he had anything at all to help, and then realized that his backpack had been returned and was now on his back. He pulled it off and unzipped a pocket. He pulled out a rope before putting his pack back on. He didn't want to lose it or its contents; they were priceless.

A small, tiny rope against a T. Rex? What are you going to do now, smarty pants? He looked at the rope, and he looked at the T. Rex. He knew he could probably lasso one of the arms and get from there down to the ground, but he really didn't want to leave the huge monster in such pain as he was now picking up from the animal. "Can you hear me talking to you, you big, dumb ox? I'm on your head."

The T. Rex then began to hit his head on the tree, trying to dislodge his unwelcome visitor. "I can help you get rid of whatever's causing the pain," Ace told him, "but I've got to get to your mouth first and I don't want to be eaten! I'm not stupid enough to trust you either! We are at an impasse until you decide what we're doing next."

The huge beast roared at Ace. "Get off in the tree! I will lower my head, and you can have a look see."

"I'm not going down there!" Ace told him. "That'll give you a good chance to bite me!"

"I can't bite you! I can't bite anything, and I am starving! It is only a matter of time before I die." Despite what the creature was, Ace found himself feeling sorry for it. No one should have to starve to death, not even a giant T. Rex! "Give me your word you will not eat me, and I'll take a look." He lassoed one of the branches of the tree and pulled himself level with the T. Rex's mouth, praying that he was not going to be the T. Rex's next meal.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Spike growled. "I need to be there to help her! Can you take me there?" Normally, Kyna could easily handle a nest single-handedly, but he could not help fearing for the woman he loved. "Please?" he ground out.

"No."

Rachel placed a staying hand on Spike's shoulder. He snarled, and she immediately withdrew it and stepped back. "It won't do any good," she tried to tell him. "If it did, do you honestly think we'd be here now? That I wouldn't be with Kitty? That Wolverine wouldn't be with Ororo? Will with Jack? Use your brain; I know you've got one in there."

"Then how the Hell do you plan to get to the freaking North Pole?" At least, he figured that was where they were headed.

"That's different," the mirror told him. "You're allowed to go there."

"So why the Hell can't I go to Kyna?!"

"I am not allowed to let you interfere with their trials."

"I oughta rip ya into shreads!" Spike growled in frustration. His fist went for the mirror, but he found himself unable to make contact.

"Can't let you do it," Rachel told him.

"Release my hand, bitch, before I take out my frustrations on you!"

"Keep showing your ass, and I'll just knock you out." Spike tried to swing at Rachel but could no more make contact with her than he could the mirror. "I'm a telepath, too, so don't tempt me." She smirked at him though she was quaking inside.

"I can smell your fear," he informed her, but his gaze returned to the mirror.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Kurt dropped like a sinking cannonball, spiraling head over feet over and over again until heat rushed up his body. The intense heat felt as though it were trying to burn his very skin off of his body, and his yellow eyes darted around as he tried to figure out where he was at. He continued to fall as he caught sight of smoke, ash, and burning embers. He was just beginning to think that he had been thrown into Hell itself when the hot air rushing all around him knocked him over again so that he was once more falling headfirst. His eyes shot wider than dinner plates as he spied a river of lava running beneath him!

His hands reached out, and his arms flailed madly in the air as he tried to catch on to something to slow his descent. He could find nothing, however, and he continued to fall directly toward the lava of what could only be a volcano! I have to get out of here, and I have to do it now! He did not know what awaited him outside or even where he may end up. He could very well teleport straight into a rock or any other of numerous things that would kill him immediately, but he had to take the risk. The smell of brimstone even greater than the brimstone he himself emitted when he bamfed was assailing his nose as he ported with a silent, hurried prayer that he would land somewhere, anywhere, safer than a volcano!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Smee looked around as he walked slowly through the jungle that he had landed in. Leaves crunched under his feet. He heard the calls of animals but none seemed too close for comfort. He stopped, hearing movement in the brush, but as soon as he stopped, the sound also ceased. He started forward again, and again he heard movement. "Who -- Who's there?!" he called out, his knees knocking together. "Sh-Show yourself!"

Whispering met his ears, but no one appeared. Smee looked down at himself. He didn't even have a weapon, and he didn't have James or even his boys to help him! Maybe he should just let himself be taken by whatever this was? But no, Smee remembered. If he died here, Vang, too, would die. He couldn't let that happen to Zora, who had so bravely stood for his beloved James, nor to Connor, who he knew was beginning to love the big cat. He couldn't repay the tiger's kindness, even if it had been unwarranted and unwanted, by allowing him to be killed.

As Smee broke out into a run, yells lifted up from the brushery. Smee looked behind him as he heard something running after him. He screamed at the sight of a throng of black people who were barely clad in some sort of strange clothing, bones, and paint. He screamed again and turned back around as they started throwing spears. He had to outrun them somehow; it was his only chance! Yet, at the same time, Smee knew he would never make it . . . !

* * *

**A Bog**

The air was filled with a stink worse than any other smell in all creation and the sounds of that stink being released from the mudholes in the Bog. It was the one place in the Labyrinth that Jareth hated to have to go, and now he hung on desperately to a small limb that was dangling above the Bog and threatening to dump him in at any second. He thought it would be very undignified to have to call for help.

Who in this Gods-forsaken land would come to his aid any way? Didymus wasn't here for he would have made himself known already if he was, and Hoggle could be anywhere. Hoggle was usually not within hearing distance if he could help it. Jareth tried again to get purchase on the limb and climb out, but it swayed under his weight and threatened to break. He held very still.

It was at that moment that he heard high-pitched screams and squeals. He leaned up and froze again as the branch creaked. Jareth had managed to lean high enough that when he looked now, he could see Teak running for his life. It was Teak who was hollering at the top of his lungs while being pursued by a dark, hairy beast.

As the two drew closer, Jareth made out the Werewolf's form and knew it had to be Wolf, though why Wolf was chasing the tiny Goblin, he could not begin to fathom. After all, besides being one of his subjects and, therefore, off limits, Teak would barely be a snack for the ravenous stomach of the Werewolf. However, there normally was not any Werewolves in the Labyrinth, and so the Werewolf before him simply had to be Wolf. "WOLF!" Jareth yelled. "STOP CHASING TEAK! HE'S NOT YOUR NEXT MEAL! COME GIVE ME A HAND; YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY PARTNER!"

If Wolf had heard him, he paid not one bit of attention to Jareth but continued in his pursuit of Teak. Teak again squealed for he was in fear of his life and ran out onto the bridge, something that he never would have done under normal circumstances. He knew about that bridge! Only two could make it on that bridge -- Jareth and Didymus --, but he had to do something! He could feel Wolf's hot breath upon his very rear!

Wolf followed Teak out onto the bridge, but when the bridge began to shake, he paused. He continued to growl, however, and as soon as the bridge stopped moving, he shot forward after the terrified Goblin who was squealing at the top of his lungs for Jareth to save him. Wolf was closing in on Teak when the first ropes snapped . . .

* * *

**Prue's & Jack & Will's Bedrooms**

Prue rolled over in the bed. She was having trouble sleeping, and the frequent growls and yowls she could hear from the basement did not help things. The two males who had been going at it for quite some time had finally seemed to take a break, and she tried mightily to sleep but to no avail. There was something hard in the bed, and she was laying on it. She turned over again, trying to find it, her hand reaching, groping blindly in the dark. Whatever it was, it was big and heavy and not on the mattress, she realized, but under it. Was is it? she thought.

Getting off the bed and kneeling beside it, she ran her hand under the mattress. She finally came into contact with . . . "_The Book?!_" she almost shouted out loud. She began to pull it out from under the mattress. The Book has been returned! Thank the Goddess! she hugged it to her bosom.

With the return of the Book came a rush of hope and good feelings. This was their heritage, left to them by their grandmother and mother, and it meant the world to her that, at long last, she held it in her arms once again! They had to find somewhere safe to keep the Book. I must take it to Piper. No, Piper will be sleeping. I'll give it to her in the morning. She was about to return to the bed, taking the Book with her, when Piper and Cole appeared before her. "The Book!" Prue said with a smile and handed the Book toward her sister.

"You found it!" Piper exclaimed. She eagerly took the Book from Prue even while trying to figure out how to keep her older sister from realizing that something was going on.

"We have to find somewhere safe to hide it, but thank the Goddess it has been returned to us!" Prue looked at Cole. "Maybe you know of a safe place?"

"I don't know of one now, but we'll find somewhere safe."

Before Prue could ask any other questions as to why they had suddenly appeared in her room, Cole told her gently, "You should return to bed and to sleep."

"But . . . I haven't been asleep," Prue told them. "I just . . . keep thinking about poor Brendan down there. I wish I could be with him. I'm so tired, Piper," Prue told her sister from the bed. "Maybe you could make me something that would help me to sleep?"

"I'll see what I can do, sweetheart," Piper gently told her sister, "while Cole hides the Book, okay?" She reached out and brushed Prue's hair out of her face. There was no way in heck she wanted Prue to get the first clue as to what was really going on! "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Okay. But hurry. I am so very tired." Her eyes were growing even heavier, but she fought to stay awake.

Piper nudged Cole.

Cole shimmered both of them back to the waiting group. Once they reappeared, Piper looked to Gabrielle for help. "Do you know of a herb that can safely put one to sleep?"

"Yes," Gabby started to answer but was interrupted by Rachel, who very carefully slid away from Spike, turning her back to Will and only her side to Spike, to look at the trio.

"Who do you want out?" Ray asked.

"My sister."

"Take me to her," Rachel said, stepping up to Cole. "I can help her out."

"Safely?" Piper eyed the redhead warily.

"Safely," Rachel agreed with a reassuring smile. She touched Piper's shoulder. "I promise I won't hurt her. All I'm going to do is to give her a mental suggestion to fall asleep."

"You're a tele . . . ?" Piper searched for the right word.

Ray nodded. "A telepath. Cole," she asked, looking up at the tall man and offering him her hand, "if you will?"

Cole shimmered them to Prue's room but did not make them visible. He waited while Rachel put Prue to sleep and then shimmered them back to the room. "Worked like a charm," he told Piper. "When she wakes up, she's going to be mad, but in the mean time, she's going to sleep."

"They're _all_ going to be mad when they wake up," Piper told Cole, "but I don't want them coming." She looked at Rachel. "Thank you." The redhead nodded to her and turned her attention back to the mirror.

* * *

**A Cavern**

The voice sounded familiar, Kyna thought, but it could not be! It was impossible! The figure circled around again and came at her once more, snarling and hissing. Screams surrounded her, and Kyna realized that the other Vampires were diving back into their coffins. Only one ran at her, and she sidestepped the female and dodged the second attack, tumbling onto the floor and tucking her head in. She looked up as the mother embraced her son and pulled him down onto the floor with her. The mother pressed her son's head against her breast and looked at Kyna from across the cave.

Despite the darkness, Kyna could see the female's face plainly. It was filled with terror, and now she heard the boy's sobs. "SHUT THE BRAT UP," the Master Vampire roared out, "OR I'LL STAKE HIM MYSELF!"

Kyna's mouth opened in shock, something it very rarely did but that had now happened at least thrice within the last forty-eight hours. She did not know what she had just stumbled into, but clearly everything was not as it seemed. Staying flattened against the ground, she pulled her sword from its scabbard, thankful that it, too, had been returned, and a vial from one of the many inside pockets on her trench. She murmured a spell as she sprinkled the holy water onto her sword. Recapping the vial, she returned it to its hiding place and rolled over as she felt the Master coming in for another attack. She thrust her blade high but missed where its heart should have been. Her sword burned a hole into his chest, nonetheless, and he screamed in agony, his wings flapping. As he screamed, she withdrew her blade and caught a look at his face. "SHENG!" He passed over her and hit the ground hard.

* * *

**A Forest**

Leaves crunched underneath booted feet as the woman made her way slowly through the forest. She moved stealthily, her hands balled into fists and ready to ignite with flame and strike at the slightest provocation. The forest was too quiet, the trail too smooth, the trek too easy. Something wasn't right. She paused, and her emerald eyes swept the forest. For just one second, she could have sworn she was being watched, but she didn't see anything. With a shrug of her black-clad shoulders, she told herself that it must merely be the damn Council.

The damn Council that Xavier sat on . . . If she ever got her hands on that bald-headed geezer, he'd never live to make it to another trial! How could he have let her down? How could he have let _him_ down? He had had the power to save him, and yet he had allowed him to die! The redhead growled. At one time, not too long ago at all, she would have done just about anything for Charles Xavier. Now, she ached to wrap her hands around his throat, squeeze the life out of him, and burn his flesh straight off. She wanted to see him dead, just like he had allowed her . . .

A sudden, low growl broke her thoughts off abruptly. She whirled around, muscles tensed for battle, but then relaxed when she saw an animal in her pathway. His coat was standing up, and his lips were pulled back to show his gleaming fangs. He was the one growling, but yet she did not fear him. "Hullo there," she greeted the animal, slowly lowering herself into a stooped position and reaching a hand out for him to sniff.

She did not flinch when the wolf snapped at her hand, merely pulled it just out of his reach. "Now that was nae very nice, 'twas it? I'm nae tryin' tae hurt ye, lad. I'd ne'er hurt ye."

His savage growl broke her off; her eyes widened. "What di ye mean ye want tae eat me? Come now. Ye din't mean that. I'm nae after ye nor yer pack. I'm nae wantin' tae -- "

An increased volume of growling broke her off again. Her emerald eyes flitted around the forest. Now she could see them, slinking out of the dark shadows, their fur raised and ruffled in warning, their teeth bared, their growling filling the quiet forest . . . "Honestly, ye lads an' lasses, can nae be that hungry now, can ye?"

"Ye wouldn't eat me. I knae -- " This time, she was interrupted by an even rougher growl as the wolf leapt for her. She jumped back, hit the ground, and rolled. The wolf caught the tail of her trench coat. He spit it out in disgust and prepared to jump again.

Kat O'Hara's emerald eyes scanned her surroundings in one quick glance. They were moving in on her from all sides! She couldn't believe that she was being attacked by animals, but that was exactly what was happening! She placed her hands onto the ground. Forgive me, Mother Earth, she thought as fire spread from her fingertips. It made a quick circle around her, shooting high as it circled and keeping the wolves at bay . . .

Kat got to her feet and stood within the circle of fire. This would, at least, keep the wolves at bay, but what was she going to do from here? She couldn't fight them for she couldn't hurt them. She _wouldn't_ hurt them. She growled and spat a Gaelic curse. How dare the Council send animals after her! They knew she would never hurt an animal; they didn't even want to give her a fighting chance!

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

"NO!!!!!!" Spike thundered, snarling savagely and only being kept from shattering the mirror by Rachel's quick telekinetic barrier. "THAT CAN'T BE!!!! THEY CAN'T DO THAT!!!!"

Xena's mouth fell open. "As I live and breathe!" she said. "Sheng?! How can that be?! Sheng was never a Vampire! He was Kyna's first husband, and he was taken out by Vampires. She made sure he would not come back, so how can this be?! You're the only Vampire Kyna's ever been interested in the way that she's interested in you!" She stared in amazement at the mirror, waiting to see what the next revelation would be.

Interested in? _Interested in?! **INTERESTED IN!?!**_ Xena's words reverberated in Spike's mind, and his fists clenched and unclenched. He wanted to kill something! He _needed_ to kill something, preferably every damn being that had ever sat upon the damn Council seats! "You know as much as I do," he snarled back at Xena. It was a lie, however, for Spike knew how Sheng had been killed. He had been there, and he knew that there was no way that the man had been turned. Drusilla had killed him, but she had not managed to turn him. He had seen to that, which was why Kyna had smelled him there that night . . . Tears filled his vision, and he fought against them as he kept his back to the others.

Rachel listened to what was happening and wondered what was happening to Kitty. If they would do this to Kyna, what might they do to Kitty? "Show me Kitty," she breathed, her voice shaking.

"NO!" Spike roared. "KEEP IT ON KYNA!"

"You've seen your woman. There's nothing you can do to help her. Now let us see what Captain Pryde has happening."

"And then show us Jack!" Will called, having also turned to watch the happenings.

"'Ro!" Wolverine demanded simultaneously.

Will glared at Wolverine. "Jack!"

To Will's surprise, the short man nodded his consent. "And then 'Ro," he growled.

"One at a time!" Phillip exclaimed. "One at a time!"

"Kitty first!" Lockheed commanded. "Or I burn ya!" He spit out a smoke ring that struck Phillip's mirror as warning.

Spike slipped off to the side of the room and slammed his fist into the wall with a low growl. He did not even bother to listen to Phillip but only waited for a chance to get back to Kyna. He needed a way to reach her. Angel was going to have to deal with Crystal's uncle by himself; he had to help Kyna before the Council's tricky treachery doomed his beloved's soul!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Ororo barely had time to realize that she had stopped falling at long last before four giant walls began closing in upon her. "NO!" she screeched, but as she tried to take flight, they folded in upon her. Then she felt teeth biting into her from all angles. She screamed, lightning bolts shooting from both hands.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Kitty's fall was cut short as she landed on something hard. The wild shriek of a big bird met her ears, but it was slightly different from a pterodactyl's. She felt herself starting to slip from whatever she had landed on and grabbed hold to -- she looked down in surprise -- _feathers_?! Her eyes travelled the length of the feathered body she was riding on only to be met with a pair of extremely angry eyes and a huge beak that was trying unsuccessfully to reach her. "H-Hi, birdie," she managed. This was the biggest damn bird she'd ever seen!

Maybe she could just jump off before it managed to reach her? Kitty thought. Looking down, Shadowcat swallowed. The ground was so far below that she could only make out the bleary tops of trees! If she tried jumping from way up here, there was no telling what she'd land into! Phasing was also out of the question for there was no way that she could hold her breath for as long as it would take to reach a safe landing spot!

The condor screeched again, its putrid breath blowing the hair back away from her face. Kitty looked up and tried again, "Nice birdie?" It was then that a new roaring sound met her ears. Both bird and woman looked behind them, and the condor's screech turned from anger to fear. Shadowcat gripped his feathers firmly as the bird took off, trying desperately to escape the jaws of a Tyrannosaurus Rex!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Jack found himself standing next to the edge of the water with ripples in the waves to the point to let him know that something was coming and heading directly his way. He drew his sword and waited, having no idea what was about to make its appearance and whether or not he would stand a chance against it. A lesser man would have run screaming from the edge of the water and taken his chances inland, but Jack, being a man of the sea, felt that he could face anything the sea could throw at him.

He stood his ground even as something began to raise its ugly head from the water and huge arms flashed into the sunlight and then splatted into the water again. "Holy Aphrodite! It's the damn Krakken! I love you, Will!" he cried to the air. Then he turned to look directly into the maw of the creature that had come for him. "Hello, beastie!" Lifting his sword skyward, he charged into the thing's mouth. He came down over the top of Jack, swallowing him whole.

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Will's scream split the air, rushed out into the hallway, and echoed throughout the house and beyond. He ran for the mirror, sword in hand, and crashed into it. He stumbled back, tried again, and again he collided with its hard surface. "Stop hitting me!" Phillip demanded. "I didn't do it! I didn't do it!"

Wolverine was on his knees beside the mirror for, as he had seen his son swallowed whole, he, too, had charged Phillip, his claws bared. "LET US IN THERE, YOU BLASTED, FUCK-HEADED SON-OF-A-BITCH!!!!!!! THAT'S MY SON, AN' I'VE GOT TA GET TA HIM! HE'LL DROWN INSIDE THAT THING IF IT DON'T EAT HIM FIRST!"

They watched with fear-stricken eyes as the creature returned to the sea and the scene changed . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

The first thing Emma became aware of as she came around was that she felt like she was being pinned down. She felt some form of bindings on her wrists and legs. Her blue eyes flew open. She struggled to rise, but the bindings held fast, keeping her laying down, her arms stretched over her head and her legs flat out beneath her. She could not even move her own hands or feet. She looked around, and her heart nearly stopped at the familiar, white surroundings. There was nothing in the room at all except for whatever piece of hard wood she was tied to.

"WHO HAS DONE THIS?!" she demanded, continuing to fight against her binds but to no avail. Laughter met Emma's ears. As it came closer, she hid her cringe in a grimace and scowl. It was familiar. Too familiar.

The woman stepped into view, her hands on her hips, and looked down at Emma. "You're right where you belong, sister."

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

"What're we lookin' at?" Wolverine demanded, seeing only a plant. "Where's 'Ro?!" He knew she was to be next.

"Listen!" Piper cried. "That's Auntie 'Ro's screams!" Tears shone in her eyes as she started toward the mirror. "Where is she, Phillip?" she nearly begged the question.

"I can not show you any closer to where she is."

"But where . . . **_SHITT!!!_**" Wolverine barked. Now his son and his woman were eaten!!!!

Piper realized what was happening at the same time that Wolverine did, and she cried out. "OH, GODDESS, NO!" She looked to Cole with tears beginning to stream down her face. "We have to find a way to help them!"

"But you can't," Gabrielle stated. "Guys, I know this is hard. They're our friends and family too. We want to help, but we can't. There's no way."

"We've got to do something!" Will cried, the North Pole completely forgotten.

"Yeah! We gotta go help Elvira!" Donkey protested. "We can help them!"

Connor looked at the mirror in fear. "Show me Dad," he requested, almost hating to see.

"Which one?"

"Either." He couldn't pick.

The mirror's image swirled again . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

James was barely hanging on with his hook. His hand had completely missed the jutting log. His feet dangled helplessly high above a creek, and below him was the creek filled with crocodiles. There were so many they had climbed on top of each other and were trying to reach him! He screamed, but no one heard him.

"I DON'T WANT TO GO THIS WAY!" he cried to the sky. "SOME ONE UP THERE, HELP ME, PLEASE!!!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE THIS WAY!!! I WANT TO SEE MY SMEE, AND I WANT TO SEE MY BOYS AGAIN!!!! PLEASE, SOMEBODY, HELP ME!!!!"

But his pleas fell on deaf ears, and the crocs were beginning to get the hang of how to stack up on top of each other. They had been stacking and falling, getting up and trying a new formation each time, and the last formation seemed to be working. It would not take them very long to reach him, but there was no way he was going to let go! Maybe, just maybe, some one out there would help him?! He closed his eyes in desperation, imagining he could hear Smee . . . He did not want to see those crocs any closer, but he could hear their smacking and it sent chills up his spine and tears down his face . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Spears and staffs zipped past Smee's head, each one seemingly passing closer than the one before it had. Smee's panicked yells were swallowed up by the yelling of the tribe of people who chased after him. His whole body shook as he ran with everything he had in him. He was going as fast as he could, and yet he was still slow! They'd be upon him at any time now!

Up ahead, Smee could see an exit to the jungle looming. He ran faster for it, his heart pounding painfully in his chest and his breath coming in labored gasps. Sweat poured over his every roll, and his stomach queased as he ran for his life. He had to make it! He had to escape, somehow, for Vang's sake, for Zora's, for _Connor's_! The thought of his son crying over the loss of Vang and himself gave Smee renewed strength and speed, and he ran faster just as a fist had been about to strike him from behind.

Smee burst out of the jungle and into a small clearing. He ran on with his pursuers hot on his rear end until his big eyes took in the end of the ground. It seemed to fall off into nothing but empty air, but he could hear the thrashing of water below. As he neared it, another voice met his ears, and his heart leapt into his throat. James! James was down there somewhere, crying for help!

Smee knew he was probably the last being that his beloved James wanted to see, but he had to see if there was some way he could help him, anything he could do to save him . . . Coming to a stop at the jutting edge, Smee peered over and down. He saw James first, and his heart broke at the sight of the tears that rolled down his beloved's handsome face, the fear that had paled his face, and the severe quivering of his long mustache that seemed ready to pop off of his face at any second. "**_SMEE!!!!!!!!!!!!_**" James yelled, and Smee realized that he was not above allowing him to help him.

But what could he do?! Smee thought frantically as he looked at the screaming, running people that were even now throwing spears around him and, by some miracle he would have been grateful for just a couple of days ago, still missing him. He leaned out further, cringing as his foot sent pebbles scattering down the side of the cliff and hitting his poor James, and saw the crocodiles jumping around in the water below, jumping for his poor love . . .

A spear suddenly hit Smee in the shoulder, and he cried out at the pain. He tore it out of his shoulder, but as he did so, he lost his balance and fell . . .

* * *

**Morph & Celina's Bedroom**

As screams echoed through the house and countless pairs of hurried feet stormed past their door, Morph glanced at the direction chaos seemed to be breaking loose in. He had just been settling into the groove of things, not even changing yet but simply allowing himself to enjoy the rapid, hungry licks and nibbles that Celina had been giving his sword, when he had heard Will screaming, and now Hell seemed to be breaking lose outside. Propping up on his elbows, he sighed heavily. "Love," the cat he spoke to did not even look up from his groin, "looks like I'm going to have to go."

He reached down to pet her, but the Siamese cat who he knew to be his wife swiped at him. He pulled back his hand with a shout of "OUCH!" and looked at the blood that trickled over his palm. "Okay, maybe that wasn't the smartest idea . . . " His words broke off into a groan as her fangs again nipped at one of his testes.

Another pair of feet raced by his door, and Morph sighed. He had to at least try to help his friends. He started to back up, sliding his naked bum against the hard floor, but Celina sank her teeth into his left testicle. His yell thundered out of the room. He reached down to pull her off, but she hung on determinedly. Her fangs remained fixed in his testes as her sharp claws swiped at him, and she growled from around him. Despite the danger, the sensation of her growling mouth sent a new set of delighted chills sweeping through his prone body.

Finally releasing his wife only after his hands were torn and bloody all over, Morph sighed, hung his head, and shook his head. There was no way he was getting out of this room! Oh, well, he thought with a shrug, he couldn't help his friends, but surely after all they'd been through as of late, they could handle whatever was daring to attack them here in their own home! In the mean time, he might as well enjoy himself. A wry smile started to grow over his face as he began growing fur all over his body . . .

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Dawson was on his knees and was about to ask Phillip to show him Faith. After everything she had already gone through, what could the bastards have done to her this time?! Hadn't she already passed her test? Would they still be throwing more at her? His mouth opened to tell Phillip to show him Faith when Connor demanded to see James again.

Immediately, the picture cleared, and James was seen. Only this time he was not alone as Smee was dangling from his feet! James was struggling to get his good hand into something to hold them up but was still failing miserably and the crocs were piling even higher! "I've got to go there, Phillip! You've got to send me there!"

"I can not!"

At that moment, the hook began to let go. James screamed even as he sought to regain the purchase that he had lost. He couldn't lose! He couldn't fall, taking both he and Smee to their deaths! "HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!" he screamed. "HELP!!!!!!!!!!" But he was beginning to believe that all was lost. Maybe he could swing Smee to safety? His eyes went upward, and that's when he saw the painted, black faces looking down. "What the Hell is that, Smee?!"

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I th-th-th-th -- "

James' mustache quivered even more, though he would have thought it impossible. "Spit it out!"

"I think they wanna eat us!"

"So do they!" James said, looking downward. "And I don't want 'em to eat either of us! **_HEEEEEEEEEELP!!!!!!!!_**" he called again.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	29. Chapter Twentyeight

**Chapter Twenty-eight**

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Connor's hand went to the mirror. "Cole! Can you take me there? Phillip won't take us! Perhaps you can shimmer us?"

Piper had moved to the bed, tossed the weapons aside, and laid the Book down on the bed. She had been frantically flipping through its pages, trying to find a teleportation spell, when she overheard Connor's question to Cole. She looked up, tears running down her face. Why hadn't she thought of that? Perhaps because she believed that, if Cole was able to, he already would have?

"I can but try! I don't know where we're going. Usually I have an idea, but I can take you one at a time and try to locate your people."

"Or we can just rip this bloody fucking mirror to shreds!" Spike snarled as he stalked forward toward the mirror again. Rachel looked at him. "Try and stop me this time, Red, and when I'm loose, I'll rip your neck off and spit down it."

Rachel shook her head. "He won't let me get to Kitty! She almost got eaten -- "

It was at that moment that James' hook slipped off and Connor screamed. Footsteps pounded the stairs and floors from outside, and people suddenly started rushing into the room. Elizabeth was one of the first with Toly behind her, still trying to get his clothes straightened. "Will!" she cried, running to him. "What happened?! What's going on?!" Seeing the look on his face, her own face paled. "Is Jack -- "

"I don't know. Gods damn it, I don't know!"

"Connor, I'll take you first," Cole said, holding his hand out. "Keep watching, and when I return, the one who is in the most dire danger, I'll take you next." He lobbed an energy ball straight at Phillip. "And that's for not helping!" he said as he shimmered.

Cole and Connor were gone before the energy ball passed straight through Phillip. "How did that happen?!" Phillip queried innocently as the energy ball hurtled over James' head.

"Piper!"

Piper looked up at her younger sister's voice and saw Phoebe rushing toward her, her face appearing as worried as Elizabeth's had. "Ph-Phoebe, you shouldn't be here."

"The Hell I shouldn't be here!"

For once, Piper did not warn her sister to watch her language. "You shouldn't be here. I have to . . . I have to help Auntie 'Ro . . . " She mused aloud, watching as Cole's energy ball exploded several cannibals.

"What is that?" Phoebe asked. "That awful mirror from the beach? It must be a Demon!" She moved closer to look at it, and before she knew what she was doing, she had put her hand out and it went through. "It's open! It's a portal! I wouldn't go through there!" she said, turning around and looking at the others. "It might go straight to Hell!"

The words had barely escaped Phoebe's mouth when she felt herself shoved aside. Some one caught her, but she didn't know who even as she watched Frederic run straight through the mirror.

* * *

**The North Pole**

As the first sounds of the gunshots reverberated around Angel's ears, he looked at Lorne. They had been passing running animals for quite a while.

"Crys!" Lorne breathed, and Angel nodded.

"It has to be." He knew the animals had been fleeing from the battle that was raging up ahead. Blue had already relayed the messages from the animals: that they had tried to help Crys and she had chased them away for their own safety. Now, as the small group passed overhead, carried by Jack's frosty winds, the animals paused and turned back to face the direction from whence they came, each one bowing their heads and praying to their Gods that not only would the rescuers reach their beloved Crys in time but would also be able to save her.

"Where could she have gotten the firepower?" Angel asked aloud the thought that had been on the rest of their minds.

"A little borrowing here and there," Jack called back. He was in the head of the group, and he was flying them all at the fastest speeds he could muster while keeping an eye on the ground. He knew where she had gone; he just prayed they could reach there in time.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Salem's yowling mewl echoed through the desert landscape as angry snorts filled his flattened ears. His fur stuck out at all ends, and he clawed frantically at his perch, trying in vain to back up past the deadly horns that were on either side of him. The bull tossed his head angrily, and Salem lost a bit of his purchase. He slid down onto the massive animal's nose but quickly scrambled back up. "SOMEBODY, HELP ME!" he cried as he continued trying to claw his way past the horns that gleamed to either side of his head and made his terrified green eyes grow even larger with each glance.

How had he landed in this situation? Why would the Council toss him into the horns of a bull as it fought against another bull?! There could be only one explanation: they wanted him dead! Salem wasn't surprised at that, but he was horrified at his predicament to the point he feared that, _if_ he managed to live, his black fur would no longer be the gorgeous, jet black color it was but white instead!

He screeched again for help as he felt the opposing bull knock into his own. A horn scratched his rear but did not make close enough contact to break the skin. He screamed again. Where were his men?! Where was Faith?! Didn't they care if he lived or died?!

The bull he was on charged forward to battle his opposer. Salem yowled and finally managed to slip past his horns a mere second before he heard the clack of interlocking horns behind him. He tried to dart forward but yowled as he found himself pulled back. _His tail!!!_ His poor tail was hooked in their interlock! Salem snatched forward, straining with all his might and yowling as he strained.

The two bulls were pushing and pulling against each other as Salem fought mightily to free his tail. Pain shot through him as he managed to rip his tail free, but he didn't take time to look. Instead, he ran off of the bull, leapt off from his rear, hit the sand, and ran as far and as fast as his four little legs could carry him . . . Never once did he realize that he was leaving a trail of blood behind him . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Frederic landed on the cliff with a yell thundering from his lungs. His hand tightly gripped his borrowed sword, and he faced the cannibals with fury radiating off of his young face. They screamed at his sudden appearance out of thin air, and he flayed into them, never giving any attention to the fact that his booted feet hung a little ways over the edge of the cliff or that he could easily join his fathers below at any second. All it would take was one push in the right direction.

The only thought that was in the young Pirate's mind was that his fathers were dangling over a crocodile pit and the people before him were the reason why one of them was there and the reason why they could not simply be pulled up to safety. He set about with his sword and began killing left and right without even the slightest bit of hesitation. James had taught him well, despite the fact that he'd claimed for years before that he was going to kill all Pirates and that that was the only reason why he was learning their evil trade.

He cut smoothly through the heart of the first cannibal, then sliced the head off of the second one's shoulders. The head hit the ground, rolled, and fell off of the cliff. Part of Frederic's mind heard his fathers yell and he hoped the head had not spooked them too badly but did not dare to linger on the thought as the cannibals thrust their spears at him.

As Frederic returned his full attention to the battle, one of the crocodiles on the top of the reptilian heap leaped up and caught the head in his jaws just as it bounced off of Smee's rear. The crunching sounds the beast made as it chewed made the men tremble even more. Frederic, meanwhile, cut swiftly at one hand after another, forcing them all to drop their spears in turn, and swiftly returned to the outright killing.

He drove his sword through the forehead of one, and something pink shone on his blade in the moonlight as he pulled it out and the cannibal fell to the ground. He wasted no time in chopping off another head, then swiped at another cannibal's knees and brought his sword up, cutting a deep gash in his chest. He drove his blade into another heart, then sliced off another head.

The cannibals' yells were beginning to turn from anger to fear as they dropped around this golden-haired, white-skinned Demon like flies on a rotting corpse. Never before had they come against any enemy with such a cutting edge, and they feared for their very lives! At last, they screamed and ran, and Frederic let them go.

* * *

**Somewhere**

The condor was still bucking like mad, but Shadowcat had held on the whole while. Her fingers were deeply embedded in its feathers, and she gripped it so tightly that she could feel its bones. She refused to relinquish her grip or even relax it in the slightest, but she also remained careful not to hurt its bones. After all, if it suddenly couldn't fly, it would fall from the sky, and that would place them both in danger. It had been flying even faster since a Tyrannosaurus had roared nearby, but Kitty still hadn't seen the awful dinosaur. As far as she knew, the bird also hadn't, but still it flew like mad, screeching loudly the whole while.

She couldn't blame the bird for flying so swiftly, being spooked by the roar, or trying to throw her off, but she wished it would shut up. After all, the T. Rex was probably following it by the sound of its mouth, and even if it wasn't, there could still be other predators . . . A massive head suddenly lifted from the trees, snapping at the bird. Its screech filled Kitty's ears to the point that she missed her own panicked scream. She managed to phase just as the T. Rex's mouth closed in upon them. She shuddered as the teeth passed through her body and then the condor's.

She could tell from the giant bird's screech that it thought it was at the end of its life. She felt it pause as the teeth passed through it, and then it took off so fast that it ripped out of Shadowcat's grip, leaving her hovering alone in the air. "HEY!" Kitty yelled after it. "THAT'S A HELL OF A WAY TO SAY THANKS!" She was answered not by the bird but rather by the Tyrannosaurus Rex whose roar sounded just behind her. She turned to look, and its teeth passed through her face. She shuddered and screamed again and set off at a run. The huge dinosaur chased after her, but Kitty ran down the air as though descending a flight of stairs. If she could just reach the ground, the Rex shouldn't be able to reach her . . .

* * *

**The North Pole**

As the smoke that had rose from the barrage of bullets she'd shot at Frostbite began to clear, Crystal prepared for her next attack. All those bullets -- she'd kept right on shooting until the undoubtedly magical gun had finally ran out of ammo -- had to have at least phased him, or so she thought, but as the smoke decreased into only a few, light wisps that remained, Crystal's ice blue eyes caught sign of the rapid movement of something large. She dropped the empty gun and flipped into the air. Several swift flips landed her in safety just as her uncle's enormous ice fist thundered by. "YOU LITTLE, IMPUDENT BITCH!!!" Frostbite snarled at her.

Now she could see the impact the gun had made: Smoke was blowing from several gaping holes throughout her uncle's massive, icy body. She jumped as long, sharp talons of ice swiped at her legs. Again, she barely managed to avoid him.

Crystal landed on her back. She pulled the chakram Jack had given her and tossed it directly toward Frostbite's angry, glowing red eyes. Even as he was busy shattering it, she snatched the sai and a throwing dagger and threw both at a gaping hole in what passed for his neck. The sai shattered before it could make contact, but Frostbite howled with rage as the dagger struck his jagged ice and stuck there.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Turning his back to the fleeing cannibals, Frederic peered down over the edge of the cliff. He saw that his father had managed to rehook his hook but that his dads were even a longer ways down, so far down now, in fact, that Smee was constantly jerking upwards against James' boots in his frantic attempts to keep the crocodiles from biting into his rear.

"CONNOR!" Frederic yelled, thinking his brother could hear him through the mirror. "WHAT'S KEEPING YA?! BRING ROPE!" Then, to his fathers, he called down, trying to reassure them, "WE'LL GET YOU BOTH UP FROM THERE, DADS!"

It was then that Cole appeared with Connor. He stared at Frederic. "How did you get here?!"

"Through the mirror," Frederic told them.

"DAMN YOU, PHILLIP! THEY COULD'VE FALLEN THE REST OF THE WAY!"

"I'm going down," Cole told the boys. "I'll bring them up one at a time."

* * *

**Somewhere**

The giant snake acted quickly, coiling itself around her ancient body with lightning speed and snapping her back down to the ground before she could even respond. She screamed, but the snake dropped a coil of its long body down against her mouth, effectively silencing her scream. It tightened its coils against every inch of her body and squeezed. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. Her mind was frozen with fear, but she had to act! Somehow . . . Some way . . . She had to do _something_!

The snake's head dropped down in front of her own. Their eyes met. His tongue flickered out, teasing her with a snickering hiss. Anger and fear whirled within her. She still couldn't breathe. Her lungs were on fire! Its head bobbed from side to side, coming ever closer . . .

Something . . . Something . . . She had to do _something_! It hissed at her again, its slitted eyes dancing, laughing with its amusement. She was helpless in its squeezing coils. Her hand tightened against the length of wood she held, and she remembered. She was not helpless. She may be old, so old that her body protested her every move. She may no longer be able to fight or love. But she was still a Witch, a Wizard.

The snake's tongue flickered out again, but then its mouth opened. Its fangs glistened before her very eyes. It darted in for her throat, and Minerva raised her wand . . .

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

"Phoebe," Piper instructed, drying her tears and looking solemnly at the mirror, "keep the Book safe."

It was then that Phoebe felt herself thrust forward by the one who had caught her mere moments before. "Yeah," Rachel added. "Phillip, show me Kitty!"

Rachel's eyes shot wide and Lockheed roared as they saw Kitty falling through the open air. Neither knew what had happened to the huge bird she had been on, but right then, it didn't matter. They leapt.

"Show me -- "

But Piper was interrupted by Will's voice as he got to his feet. "Show me Jack! Or, at least, that damn whatever it was!"

"Whatever it was?" Elizabeth repeated, looking up at Will.

Will didn't bother to explain. He grabbed a sword and a hatchet from the bed and charged forward. Wolverine leaped to his feet and was hot on Will's heels. They landed on the beach where Jack had last been seen. The monster was not to be seen, and they knew they'd have to go in search of it. There was only one way to do so, and they dove into the water.

Elizabeth looked from the mirror to the bed where the weaponry glistened invitingly. "Liz, don't -- " She paid Autolycus no mind as she reached out, daring to grab two swords, and followed behind Will and Wolverine.

Autolycus started to follow behind, but Phillip had already changed the picture. He now returned to where 'Ro was held captive. Her screams filled the room, and lightning bolts could be seen sparking through the huge plant that still held her. Blood also oozed from its mouth. "I'm going in." Piper dove.

"I'm coming with you, Piper!" Xena told her even as she dove through the mirror.

Gabrielle jumped, and Phoebe screamed. "PIPER! NO!"

Prue screamed as she ran forward, trying to jump through the mirror, but the picture had changed. "No one else goes through! Only three can go through for each scene!"

"That's my sister and my aunt in there! Let me through, Phillip! I can throw you and shatter you into a million pieces!"

"If you do, they'll never get back," Phillip warned.

Prue turned to Phoebe, and they held each other. What would happen next? Only time would tell!

"Show me my Kyna or you're getting shattered any damn way!"

"I was working on it!"

"Yeah, sure you were, and that's a maggot crawling along your base!" He leapt without looking as soon as he heard Kyna's voice.

"Euuw! Euuw! Get it off; get it off!"

"What about Elvira?!" Donkey cried. "Isn't any one gonna help us?!"

Phillip turned the picture back to where they were surrounded by snow. "What's going on there?" Prue asked. "Why does Elvira need help?"

Eddie sniffed, tears falling from his eyes. He couldn't believe Will had just forgotten him! Sure it was Jack, but still! "She went after her girl who went after her uncle!"

"This one will be a little more difficult," Prue told him, "but we'll get help and we'll go after this group, as well. Who's in this group beside Elvira?"

Eddie sniffed. "Elvira and Blue and Cindy and Angel and Lorne and Delvira and Cordelia . . . "

* * *

**Somewhere**

Kurt reappeared with a cool, albeit hard, surface beneath his two-toed feet. A gentle breeze blew over his gasping body, and his blue fur ruffled as the cooling breeze swept over him. All seemed to be peaceful, but he had no sooner thought that he had landed in a better, more peaceful location than a rumbling met his pointed ears. Looking upward, he saw giant rocks rolling straight his way.

AVALANCHE! Damn! Novhere's safe! he thought. He had no more idea where to bamf to than he had had when he had left the volcano, but he knew he had to try. As the first small rocks pelted his feet, he began to bamf. He bamfed throughout the side of the mountain, but more and more rocks fell. They all seemed to be rolling directly at him, and he narrowly missed being hit time and again. In desperation, he bamfed once more, leaving the side of the mountain behind and once more taking the deadly risk he would rather not have . . .

* * *

**A Cavern**

Spike landed silently on his booted feet inside the darkness of the cavern. As his eyes took the split second they needed to adjust to the absence of light, he listened for his beloved's voice. He would gladly kill this imposter for her, but he had to know how she would react to this "Sheng". He knew that she still loved her dead husband and had long ago come to terms with the fact that a part of her always would, but he wanted to know just how much she still loved Sheng. He wanted to know but was also afraid to know for whatever part of her still loved Sheng was the same part of her that still doubted him, still tried to make her pull away from him . . .

As Spike waited in the darkness and wondered whether he had perhaps jumped too soon, his undead heart hammered in his ears. He had stopped needing his heartbeat centuries ago but had refastened the habit a long, long time ago as one of many ways to help himself appear more human to Kyna. Hush, he now told his heart, before she hears you, and it stopped its yammering immediately.

Kyna was shaken outwardly and even more so inwardly. She stood rooted to the spot, her hands balled into tight fists, one of which clenched her stake, and her eyes threatening to fill with tears as she stared, horror-stricken, at the Demon who wore her husband's face. "Sheng . . . " she whispered hoarsely amongst the hoots and hollers of several Council members, hoots and hollers that could not be heard outside their infamous, dreaded court room . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Cole shimmered and grabbed a hold of Smee. It took him a minute to adjust to Smee's weight, but he soon recovered and shimmered back to where the boys waited. It was only when he reappeared that he realized that not only had he brought Smee but had brought James up, as well. He smiled at the both of them. "It won't take us long to get back home. I'll take you one at a time." He reached out and grasped James' arm. He attempted to shimmer James home but could not do it. He grasped Connor and found that he could easily shimmer the both of them home.

Connor was rather shook up at the sudden shimmering, but when Cole returned the pair of them back to the small group, he shook his head sadly. "It appears that I can take Connor, and most likely Frederic, but you, my friends, I can not," he said, looking at James and Smee. "They're not going to let you go yet. Do you boys want to return home or stay with your fathers?" Cole asked.

Connor replied, "I'll stay with my Dads." Frederic nodded. He continued to look carefully around in his valiant attempt to observe everything and make certain that none of the natives were attempting to sneak back. If any of them tried to attack again, he'd make sure they'd lose their head in the process. He gripped his sword more tightly and stood tall.

James smiled sadly back at Cole. "I appreciate what you tried to do, my friend, and I appreciate your help in saving both Smee and myself." He stood as close to Smee as he could but had not attempted to touch him out of his fear that he'd run off again. "Thank you, my sons, for coming, as well. You really should go home with Cole; you'd be safer."

Though Smee agreed with his love's words to their sons, he remained at a distance. James could not even stand close to him for, now that they were well out of the way of both the crocodiles and the cannibals, Smee was again staying as far away from James as possible.

Frederic looked at his father. "I will not leave you, Dad, not even if you trick me. My place is beside you."

Smee thought sadly to himself that Frederic's words could not have been truer. His place was beside James, just as Smee's had been when he had so foolishly thought James loved him and longed for it to be again though he knew such was impossible. James wanted a woman, not him, never him, Smee reminded himself, and the boys would be better off with James as their father and some bit for a real mother. He just needed to take himself out of the picture. He sniffed, a lone tear he hoped they did not notice and knew James would not care even if he did dripping off of his round, red nose.

James adverted his eyes away from his love's face. His heart broke at the pain etched across his face and the tear that slithered slowly down his beloved face. How he wished Smee would let him touch him! His longing reminded him of when they had first met, when James had wanted Smee to touch him so badly he couldn't stand it. His heart had not felt this broken since their first beginning. He had wondered if Smee would ever have touched him in the first place, and now he wondered if he'd ever feel his beloved's touch again.

"My place, also, is beside you, my Fathers," Connor spoke. They attempted to have a family hug.

Smee had looked at Connor in surprise, but when the boys attempted to bring their fathers close in a hug, Smee stepped out of the way, sliding his bulk out from between James and Connor and leaving Connor's arms to wrap around James and Frederic alone. Smee looked on with sad eyes. He had to leave them. They deserved better. But he couldn't just let himself die. No, not now when his death meant Vang's death, as well. There had to be a way, though; there just had to be for he could not live in a world where James did not love him . . . He sniffled again.

James' eyes remained on Smee even as he hugged his boys. Why would Smee not see the truth, that James loved only him in that special way? Only once had James had an almost indiscretion, and it had been a spell! Why wouldn't Smee believe him? Then a thought crossed James' mind. Maybe Smee really didn't love him? Maybe, and he choked on the thought, Smee was crying because he was stuck with James?! He hugged his boys even tighter. What was he going to do if he lost his beloved Smee?! He had to fight to keep the tears at bay.

Cole shimmered back home, and as the hearts of the four who remained ached ever more for the pain between James and Smee, certain individuals amongst the Council roared with wicked laughter.

* * *

**The North Pole**

While Frostbite was distracted by the dagger that stuck in his ice, Crystal moved quickly. She slammed the bo staff into the ground and used it to spring upwards and flip higher than she normally would have. As she was flipping through the air at a dizzying rate, she pulled out the trident, hit the button she'd already figured out would unfold it, and held it at the ready. Frostbite roared as the trident hit his lower area. Crystal wasn't even sure if she was above or below his knees; she couldn't tell what was what in his current form except for his glowing, red eyes; the black hole where the only light was his glistening fangs that was his mouth; and his icy fists that were each the size of a small cottage.

She flipped around the trident a few times and then, just as a barrage of ice daggers and both Frostbite's massive hands came towards her, she flipped on higher. His hands barely missed her, but the winds raised by their movements threw her off of her intended direction. She managed to continue flipping through the air, but she was far too off course now . . . She pulled the sword out as he shattered the trident and drove it into his body.

She held both hands to the hilt of the sword, looked up again through narrowed eyes, and zeroed her gaze in on the spot where she was hoping his black heart might be. Though she'd always sworn he didn't have one, she knew he must have at least enough of a heart that there was something that pumped blood through his ice-cold veins, something that kept his circulation running and kept him living. She flipped again through the rain of ice daggers and the hands that closed in literally just behind her.

Hail the size of morningstars struck her face. Ice shards flew all around her, slicing into her body at various spots. She bit down on her tongue to keep from screaming and tasted her own blood as she continued determinedly flipping. When she began to approach the area she was hoping might work, she pulled the pistol out of the hem of her pants and started firing.

* * *

**A Cavern**

"It can not be . . . " Kyna shook herself as the creature, clutching one perfectly-manicured hand to his gut, rose. It was, but it was not, of course. The being before her did look exactly like her deceased husband, but he was no more Sheng than her beloved William was evil. Her beloved William, who she missed so strongly that even her hearing and sorcery senses were playing tricks on her, causing her to think she could hear his heartbeat and sense his signature . . .

Some sort of liquid oozed through the splayed, light brown fingers that pressed against the wound she'd given it as the being looked at her. It even somehow managed to have Sheng's eyes, Kyna thought, as the rich, brown eyes opened in an expression of love and hope past the pain. "Oh, but my sweet sunflower -- "

**_Sunflower!?!_** Spike fought the urge to laugh and silenced the chuckle that rose in his throat. He could never imagine his strong, fiercely independent Kyna as a mere, fragile sunflower! A tiger lily, maybe, or perhaps a dragon snap. Possibly even a rose as he knew she adored them so much. But never a _sunflower_!!

Kyna's grip tightened on her stake. How in Hades did it know that?!

"It is! I am he! I am your Sheng, my fair love!"

Kyna took a step back as "Sheng", smiling and reaching his arms out for her, stepped forward. She took two steps back when he tried to advance again.

"Why do you run, my sweet, when we can be together again at long last? Surely you do not fear me when you already sleep with a monster?"

Spike almost let his cover slip with an angry snarl but managed to quiet himself just in time. He looked to Kyna instead to see what her reaction would be. Only his dark eyes revealed the true depths of the emotions that broiled within him. He wished that he could see his love's eyes so that he could clearly read what she was feeling, but instead he'd have to rely on his superb sense of smell.

Past the decaying bodies, blood, and stench of the caverns and the things inside it, he could smell the wondrous, delightful aroma of his beloved Kyna. He did not let her magnificent scent do to him what it had in the secret -- supposedly, he amended, recalling Connor's surprising, uninvited, and unwelcome interruption -- confines of their bed chamber. Instead, he concentrated on her scent, and his pupils narrowed as he started deciphering her many levels. Past the facade of calmness she always tried to wear was the sadness he'd known would be there, the determination to win he'd also expected, a flitter of fear he wasn't surprised at, and . . . anger. Boiling, red-hot anger.

* * *

**The Bog of Eternal Stench**

Just as the bridge began to fall, Teak jumped upward. His skinny, green arms stretched upward as far as they could reach and flailed madly in the air, frantically hoping to gain purchase on anything. Far down below, he could hear Wolf howling for he had fallen into the Bog and was splashing. The Werewolf was trying as desperately to find a way out of the Bog as Teak was to keep from falling in. "WEREWOLF STINK FOREVER!" Teak yelled tauntingly after the monster who had been so intent upon eating him. "NASTY BEASTIE NEVER GET STINK OFF!"

Wolf howled wildly and swiped madly at his eyes, which were burning terribly. The fumes from the Bog were horrendous and made his eyes tear, burn, and ache with a pain unlike anything the Werewolf had ever known. He could see nothing, but he could hear his prey from somewhere above! "I'll get you yet, you little bugger!" he howled as the Bog pulled him away.

Teak only held on tighter to what he had managed to grab. Whatever limb he'd managed to grab was kicking at him, but Teak still managed to keep his grip. "STOP KICKING TEAK, TREE!"

The voice that thundered down in response to Teak spooked the Goblin so badly that he squealed again and his bony knees knocked loudly together. "GET OFF OF ME, TEAK!" Jareth yelled downward. "YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UP HERE, HELPING ME TO GET OUT, NOT HELPING ME TO GO DOWN!"

On the word "down", a chorus of haunting voices resonated above the Bog of Eternal Stench. "He said dooown!"

Jareth grimaced as he heard the voices and recognized each and every one. "STOP, YOU IDIOTS! DO NOT SEND ME DOWN!" He felt the limb weakening and muttered, "Oh crap!"

The limb broke, sending both Teak and Jareth falling downward. Jareth closed his eyes tightly and tried desperately to concentrate on changing. Teak's arms again flailed madly, and Jareth kicked out instinctively as Teak managed to grab his leg, wrapped his arms around it, and held on tightly. He pressed his face into Jareth's leg, his squeal becoming slightly muffled by Jareth's pants and his big, pointed ears wriggling like a flying bird's dying wing motions. Jareth dreaded the second that he would feel the Bog touch his skin but refused to scream . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Will could not hold his breath for as long as Wolverine could and was the first of the two men to have to surface. He surfaced reluctantly, knowing that he could not help Jack if he could not live long enough to find him, and gasped for air. He was surprised to hear a familiar, feminine voice calling his name as he pulled in deep breaths.

"Will! Will! Did you find him?"

Will's eyes snapped open, and he looked toward the shore only to see that it was indeed Elizabeth calling his name and not a mirage. He shook his head. "There's no sign of him," he cried worriedly, "but he's got to be down there somewhere, and by Gods, I'm going to find him or I'll sink straight to Davy Jones' locker trying!" He dove back underneath the water without giving her a chance to answer.

* * *

**Somewhere**

She came to slowly with a weak groan ushering forth from her thin lips. Her beady eyes cracked open, and they scanned her surroundings. Everything was dark, but she could still see plainly enough and saw nothing of interest. There were trees with green things hanging down from them, things that did not move and that reminded Trely of the Bog of Eternal Stench. There was no sound in this place, no voices of human, animal, or otherwise. She could see no sign of anything living or any other presence of any sort, but she felt weighted down by something.

Whatever it was, it didn't come from above, although the familiar heaviness of all the things she usually carried was there. Her things must have been returned to her; nothing else could explain the familiar weight on her hunched back. The weight came, instead, from something around her. Around every inch of her little body. She tried to move but only sank further in the thick mass that was around her.

Trely tried to get a look at the thing that was attempting to prey on her, but it only seemed to move as she tried to escape. Each time she moved or wriggled, it moved, and she sank further down into its bowels. The thing seemed to have no real shape and resembled water, dirty water like that that was in the Bog. She had to get free, but she could see nothing to grab hold to.

Trely reached up to her pack. She ran a wrinkled hand along the things. There was a bear and a dolly. There was a box, probably some sort of jewelry box. There was another something stuffed. And then . . . Ah, yes! There it was!

Trely wrapped her little fingers around the hard leg. She yanked it, and another of its legs scratched her. She pulled harder and harder still until she was able to get her other hand around another leg. It took every bit of Trely's strength, but she finally managed to lift the heavy object. Stretching as far as she could, Trely placed the chair on the ground just outside the thing that she was steadily sinking deeper in.

Each movement sent Trely down further. She wasn't the smartest Goblin in the Labyrinth, but even she could tell that, if she sank just a little more, she'd start drowning. She gripped the legs of the chair tightly and started to pull herself toward it. Inch by inch, she worked her way, but it seemed to her that, with every other heartbeat, she slid still further down . . . Trely didn't know if she'd make it out in time or if the chair, which was steadily coming her way as she pulled it, would even stay out of the muck long enough for her to escape. All she knew was that she had to try.

* * *

**The House**

It was then that they could hear Rubeus' voice from downstairs. "I don't know what's going on up there, but your supplies are ready!"

Cole had just shimmered back into the room for the next group and had heard what was going on. "I'm going on this group," he said. "Where's Piper?"

Phoebe pointed a shaking finger at the mirror and sobbed.

"Phillip, why'd you finally decide to let people through?" Cole demanded.

"They finally let me."

"_They_?" Cole demanded. "Just who's playing with us this time?"

"That is for me to know," Phillip informed him coldly, "and for you not to know."

Cole shook his head angrily. "When I find out, I have plenty of energy balls for all of them!" He looked at the two Halliwells and considered, for a moment, which one he should take since Piper was no longer a choice. "We need a strong fighter besides me, and we need a Sorceress."

"You need more'n that!" Donkey interrupted. "Will said we needed firepower!"

"I have energy ball power, but I can't make fire. Who do we have left that can make fire?" His mind searched frantically for an answer before coming up with Clark.

Before he could speak, a voice spoke up from just inside the doorway. "I may be able to help with that one, but some one might end up having to douse it."

"Where we're going, there's plenty of snow, and it can definitely put a fire out. We still need a Sorceress, and as close to one we have available right now, is you, Prue." Cole's gaze turned from Clark to Prue.

"If I go, how will Donkey go?"

"I'll shimmer Donkey. I promised him I would one day."

Phillip cleared his throat. "If I may, as this is not a trial, any and all may pass."

"Good," Phoebe announced, shutting the Book and standing. She looked at the mirror, ignoring the surprised and concerned looks that were being shot her way. "'Cause I'm going too." She hugged the Book tightly to her bosom. If they wanted the Book, they were going to have to let her come!

Prue smiled at Phoebe. "Bring the Book. Maybe we can find something in there to use against that awful thing." She took her sister's hand and prepared to go through the mirror.

"One minute, and I'll be back," Cole told them. He shimmered down to the kitchen and got the supplies.

As soon as Cole left, Clark moved to the mirror. "Show me Lex," he demanded quietly. His hand went out to touch the image of his beloved as Phillip obeyed his command. By some miracle, Lex seemed to be all right, and his surroundings were very familiar. Clark studied the hay-strewn area for just a brief second before placing it. He smiled slyly and shook his head slowly. He did not know what the Council had been thinking by sending Lex to the farm, but his love would excel at whatever test they had planned. Clark was so positive that Lex would be able to handle anything that happened at his home that he no longer worried in the slightest about leaving him behind and was ready to leave when Cole returned.

* * *

**Somewhere**

The Tyrannosaurus Rex opened his mouth, and Ace could see the culprit that was causing all the problem. "You have a huge bone in there that's lodged between your teeth. We have to get it out, and we may not be able to without pulling out a couple of teeth. Hold still. I'm gonna hook you up. We'll try to get the bone first."

Ace managed to get the end of the rope around the bone and then told the Rex to back up as far as he could. "Snatch your head back as hard as you can." Even as Ace told the T. Rex what to do, he moved to another branch and wrapped his arms around it to secure his position. The T. Rex did what Ace told him to do, but it only moved the bone a little and did not make it come free. It was wedged tightly between the two teeth and refused to come out.

"It's going to hurt, but I'm going to have to try and break it with my knife. I've got to go in your mouth. Don't you dare eat me, or I'll cut you open from the inside!"

The T. Rex was still trying to see what was talking to him, and he had not been able to spot Ace for his eyesight was extremely poor. He held very still with his head close enough that Ace could step onto his mouth.

Ace began to dig at the bone. As he worked amidst the roars of the T. Rex that blew his hair and clothes every which way and, at several points, almost threw him out of his mouth, Ace tried desperately to drown the sound out and keep his balance. He dug frantically at the bone. When he thought he had it free, or almost free, he quickly got out of the mouth and told the T. Rex to repeat the maneuver.

This time, the bone came out, leaving a small, gaping hole that blood seeped from. Ace knew it would bleed for a while and then dry out. He hid himself quickly; he did not want the T. Rex to find him again! The T. Rex would not go away, however; he was waiting. "Go away, T. Rex!" Ace told him. "I do not want you to make a meal of me!"

"Nor do I," T. Rex told him, "but I do owe you. You have saved my life!"

Ace did not know whether or not to believe him. He thought for a moment, trying to find some way that he could get the T. Rex's word and he would keep his word. "I need you to swear on something that you hold dear to yourself that you will not eat me."

"I do," T. Rex told him. "I swear to the egg that I was born in. I only want to repay you. I did not ask to be born a meat eater, and I am not near as big as some of the others. But I will be your T. Rex until I pay you back, and I vow I will not eat you."

"That is all I can ask," Ace told him. "Can you take me where your people are?"

"I do not know people. Others plant eaters, meat eaters. What people?"

"You can't see me?" Ace asked him. "I'm standing right here on this trunk."

Fear slid through Ace as the huge Tyrannosaurus Rex eyeballed him; for just a second, he wondered if the beast would keep his word. "You strange," the T. Rex spoke again after what felt like an eternity to Ace. "No others. Dark ones. Meat eaters." He did not even feel it when Ace climbed back on his head and got back into his ear.

"We go look for others," Ace told him. "My people here." He knew they had to be there somewhere and were probably in a world of danger, but Ace was coming to help and now he had a T. Rex! Flying elephants he had not been able to help, but he had managed to help a T. Rex! They started off, T. Rex looking for food and Ace keeping a watchful eye out for his people.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Elizabeth looked at the churning ocean with worried eyes. If Will and Wolverine could not find Jack, she knew she didn't stand a chance. If only there was a way to bring the monster to them . . . The monster had Jack, after all, and so bringing the monster to them would also bring Jack to them . . . How could she draw the monster back to the shore, though? What would make it want them when it was only after Jack?

Blood, the answer came to her in a flash of inspiration. Blood always drew hungry monsters, right, just as it did sharks and crocodiles and all those other horrible creatures of the water? Elizabeth started to lift her skirts on the way into the ocean but stopped, recalling that she had donned an outfit of Autolycus' rather than put on her own heavy clothes again. She grasped one sword tighter but lowered the blade of the other sword she carried to her foot. She looked down as she touched the sharp metal to her tender flesh. Grimacing against the pain, she drew the blade once across her foot, making a small cut. It hurt but didn't bleed. She made the second cut deeper, and a thin line of blood sprang forward.

Standing erect once more and holding both swords at the ready, Elizabeth walked into the ocean. She expected that the blood would bring any nearby monsters toward them, but the presence of the monster who had taken Jack from them should be more than enough to frighten the others off. At least, she hoped it would be. She walked deeper into the ocean, her wary eyes scanning for any sign of movement . . . She prayed her plan would work for, if they didn't find Jack soon, it might well be too late by the time they did.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Piper had hit the ground hard, and she groaned, thinking, for certain, that she had broken something in the fall. Then she heard Ororo's screams again and pushed herself determinedly to her feet. She had to help her godmother; she had to save Ororo! She threw her hands out at the plant, but it didn't freeze.

Of the three women who had jumped to Ororo's rescue, only Xena had landed on her feet. She had turned immediately to help Gabrielle up as the bard had landed on her rear end and was just pulling her lover to her feet when both women heard Piper's desperate cry. "Come on! Come on! Work!" She kept shaking her hands and throwing them out at the plant again, but it just wasn't freezing! Where were her powers when she needed them so?!

"Piper," Gabrielle spoke, "maybe we should just attack . . . "

"No! If we attack the plant, we might hurt Auntie 'Ro!" Piper glanced at the speaker and was surprised to see that Gabrielle and Xena had followed her. "This has to work!" She threw out her hands again, but still the plant did not freeze. "What good is having powers," she demanded, "if you can't use them when you need them?!" This time, when she threw out her hands yet again, the plant still did not freeze. It exploded instead, sending a shattering of petals, vines, leaves, chlorophyll, and Ororo's blood raining all around. Piper rushed forward only to find Ororo still caught in the monster plant's teeth.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Didymus heaved as he hauled his small body, which seemed to him to weigh a thousand pounds, onto the shore. He collapsed there, gasping for air, but lifted his head after only a second and looked around the beach. Though it was dark, his trained, canine eyes could see perfectly well, and he saw no sign of anything else living. Only when he was certain that he was alone did Didymus allow himself to collapse again against the sandy shore.

He breathed deeply and just let his body rest. His silent promise to himself that he'd lay still for just a second turned swiftly into a minute and then even more quickly into several minutes. His alert eyes were drifting shut when his sharp ears caught the sounds of battle. Sir Didymus immediately pushed himself into a leap that landed him standing erect on his fur-covered feet, his hand gripping his sword at the ready, and his ears perked at full attention.

His ears wriggled back and forth as he located where the sounds were coming from. There were voices screaming now, too, and he recognized them. There were three distinct voices, two male and one female, and all were allies. Without a thought to his own exhaustion or safety, Didymus took off running toward the battle.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	30. Chapter Twentynine

**Chapter Twenty-nine**

**The Kitchen/Jack & Will's Bedroom**

"Thanks, Rubeus," Cole told the helpful Giant. "We're all going on quests. It'll be quiet for a while. If you need help in the kitchen, get Chong to help you."

"Is he the one that's makin' all the noise upstairs?"

Cole listened. Everything going on had taken his mind off of the noises, and his ears had become accustomed to the sounds. "Oh, yeah; he was one of them! Bellow his name, and he'll come."

"I hope he doesn't continue with that all day."

"Put him to work." He shimmered back to the waiting group. "Everybody ready? Let's go!"

The words were barely out of Cole's mouth before Eddie leapt. He had been pacing back and forth, trying with absolutely no success whatsoever to have patience for the man to get back with the supplies they'd need. He had waited only out of knowing that he could not take down Frostbite alone and would need help. He still could not believe that Will had abandoned him. Prue, Phoebe, and Cole quickly followed suit.

Joxer looked at the mirror as though it was the most enormous monster he had ever seen. He was paler than a sheet and shaking so much that his knees knocked together. Slowly, he stepped over to the bed and picked up a sword. His eyes seemed about to bug out of his head. "Joxer, I don't think you should go," Clark spoke softly as he moved up behind the smaller man.

"I-I-I-I-I-I've g-g-g-g-g-go-go-go-gotta go!" Joxer barely managed to squeak out. "M-m-m-m-m-my Ph-Ph-Ph-Phoebe left! Xena and Gabby left me, too! I can fight! I'm going where Phoebe's going!"

Clark was no longer there, however, for he had flown through the mirror with a whispered command that Phillip should change the scene as soon as he had passed through. Joxer looked around when Clark didn't answer him. "Where'd he go?"

"Through the mirror," Autolycus told him. "Hey!" he yelled at Phillip. "I was just about to go in there myself!" He was secretly relieved that Phillip had changed the picture. He knew that Joxer and himself were no match for the Demon. He would have liked to have gone through with Elizabeth but had been unable to as only three were allowed and that picture had changed so fast that he had not had time to react. He didn't dare ask the question who else needed help.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Frostbite's scream of rage filled Crystal's ears, but she dared not allow herself any hope. She filled him with bullets, shooting each time she drew nearer to the area she sought, but then a cold heaviness filled her legs and she dropped. The pistol turned to ice and shattered in her hand as she fell. She dropped like a wounded bird and slammed into the snow-covered ground below.

As she lay on the ground, trying to work her legs and failing to get them to respond to her, she was again able to make out her uncle's voice. He was no longer screaming or roaring with pain. He was no longer throwing insults and cuss words at her. He was laughing again, and the sound chilled her.

You can't kill him. You already knew that, she thought sadly. You tried. You gave it a good try. Time for plan . . . She smirked tiredly. It certainly wasn't plan B. Hell, she'd ran out of the alphabet before she'd ever left the North Pole the first time. She looked up at Frostbite and tried to focus her gaze on him as she felt the ice moving up her body. "YOU WIN!"

Frostbite stopped. He paused and looked down at her. "WHAT WAS THAT, MY LITTLE POPSICLE?" his booming voice returned.

"I SAID YOU WIN! I'M DONE FIGHTING A BATTLE I CAN'T WIN! I'LL JOIN YOU! I GIVE MY POWERS, MY LIFE, MY BLOOD TO YOU WILLINGLY!"

He stared down at her, at first too shocked to speak. Then he laughed again. "YOU LIE, BUT I AM NO IDIOT! I KNOW BETTER! YOU ONLY WISH TO DISTRACT ME!"

"NO! I SPEAK THE TRUTH!"

"WHAT OF YOUR BABIES, YOUR PRECIOUS, LITTLE ANIMALS? WOULD YOU LEAVE THEM ALONE IN THIS WORLD FOR ME TO DO WHAT I WILL TO THEM?"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU DO TO THOSE FILTHY BEASTS!" She prayed he didn't see the betraying tears that stung her eyes. They're not alone, you monster, and besides you'll never leave them be as long as I live and you want me!

"WHAT ABOUT THAT DISGUSTING GREEN DEMON YOU'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH?"

"LOVE? PLEASE!" She turned her head and spat onto the ground. As she did so, she saw the area she laid in and breathed a sigh. She was here, right where she'd intended to breathe her last breath this day. Or night. She still had no idea of the time, but it didn't matter.

"I HAVEN'T LOVED ANY ONE SINCE MARK, AND YOU STOLE HIM FROM ME! YOU KILLED HIM, AND IT'S FAR PAST TIME I STOPPED RUNNING AND WENT TO JOIN HIM! BESIDES, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THAT GREEN DEMON IS DISGUSTING! I WOULDN'T WANT HIM TOUCHING ME! HE'S SLIMY . . . LIKE A FROG!" She fought to keep her head turned so that he would not see the tear that dropped down her face.

"AND THE VAMPIRE?"

"HE'S A VAMPIRE! HE'S AS EVIL AS YOU ARE!" There were three things she could be thankful for here at the end of her life. She was thankful that they could not hear her now for she knew the practiced lies she spat out would hurt them beyond any physical pain ever could. She was thankful that she had at last known the love and trust of a family, even if it had been undeserved and had been for such a short time. Most of all, she was thankful for their love, especially her children's, Lorne's, Angel's, and Jack's. She fought her tears down, biting her lips to silence the sob that rose in her throat.

"AND THE PIRATES?"

"A DISGUSTING, FILTHY LOT! ALL ARE AS EVIL AS THAT FOOLISH VAMPIRE WHO THOUGHT HE WAS MY BROTHER!"

"HE WASN'T?"

"OF COURSE NOT! LIKE I SAID, HE'S AS EVIL AS YOU ARE! I WOULD HAVE STAKED HIM WHEN HE TRIED TO BITE ME EXCEPT THAT I THOUGHT HE MIGHT STAND A CHANCE AGAINST YOU!" She laughed derisively. "BUT NO ONE STANDS A CHANCE AGAINST YOU! I KNOW THAT NOW! I FINALLY ACCEPT IT!"

Frostbite eyed his niece, trying to figure out what she was playing at, and then he saw it. He had stopped the ice at her knees, but she had resumed the growth of the ice. It had spread up her legs, over her middle, and was now working its way up her chest . . . Realizing what she was planning, he screamed out, "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!"

* * *

**Somewhere**

It seemed to the tiniest one of the group that he fell forever and a day before finally landing on something hard. It was a round, hard surface with a mixture of harder and softer things sticking through it at all sorts of angles. He had barely began to try to figure out where he was at when he heard screeching from all around. He lifted his head and looked toward the frantic screams. Pure terror immediately filled his body. He screamed and started wriggling his body as swiftly as he could.

Unfortunately, his wriggling movements only drew the monsters' attentions. Their tiny wings flapped against their feathered bodies, and they hopped and wriggled and even toppled over each other as they frantically pursued him. Worm screamed, squealing at the top of his lungs for help, as he pushed, slid, and wriggled as fast as he could. His scream became even louder and more piercing as one of the creature's beaks snapped on his tail. Pain shot through his body.

Worm shoved with every single bit of strength he possessed. He managed to lift his body out of the nest, but still the beast held to the end of his tail. He pushed with all he had but could not break free. His scream increased even more as the others began to bite him, as well. Pain filled him, and Worm realized that he was about to die . . .

* * *

**A Forest**

Kat stared at the gnashing, snarling, and drooling jaws of the wolves who circled around her, trying to find a way past her fire. She flinched each time one dared to touch the fire. "If ye'll only leave it be, ye win't get hurt."

"We can't leave it be."

"Yeah! If we do, we don't get to eat you!"

"And we're hungry!"

"What," she attempted to reason with them, "makes ye t'ink ye want tae eat a human any way?" Knowing that the fire would not keep them off forever, she cast a glance around in search of a means of escape. She hated running away, but the cac ar oineach Council had left her with no choice. They knew she would never willingly hurt an animal and would rather take her own life than lay a single finger in a hurting manner upon an animal. She kept talking while looking around. "I've it on good authority that we humans taste rather bitter."

"Your mother," one snarled out. He then spat at her and the fire that cut him off. He was the first one who had attacked her, the one who had managed to tear off a piece of her trench.

"Where'd ye learn that language?" Kat quirked a brow at him and tried to fight down her fear. If she showed any sign of fear to them, they would know they had power over her, though they would clearly never know why. What was wrong with these animals? What had been done to them to make them so angry, so ready to eat humans?

She'd encountered those who claimed to eat humans before, but one chance at her willing flesh had always made them back off. Some had come close to biting, but none had ever managed to carry through. Her instincts, however, told her that these would and that that was not a chance she could afford to take, not if she wanted to get back to her Captain and Ace or make that bastún Council pay. Which she would. She would burn all their asses straight to Hell!

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the leader snapped back. His eyes glared into hers as he lifted his leg and sprayed her fire. He cocked his head to one side, and one eye moved to the fire as it began to sizzle underneath his urine. He growled a command to his pack, and they circled around Kat and lifted their legs. Kat's eyes widened as they all began spraying as one.

**Somewhere**

Rachel had thought she'd appear in the air since Kitty was in the air and she'd told Phillip to let her go where Kitty was, but instead she found herself on the ground. She had barely began to puzzle the matter over when Lockheed roared. Ray looked up, and her mouth fell open. Kitty was running down the air towards them, but a T. Rex was hot on her tail! No dinosaur messes with _my_ Kitty!

Kitty looked down as Lockheed's roar met her ears. "Lockheed! Rachel! What are you two doing here?! Get out of here!"

Lockheed roared again, but Ray didn't answer her. She didn't even look at her. Instead, her emerald eyes were glued to the T. Rex that was even now baring down on Kitty, and Rachel didn't seem to be aware of anything else. She was in shock! Kitty jumped the remaining distance, but she heard a gigantic roar of surprise even as she leapt toward Rachel.

Shadowcat whirled around the second she hit the ground and saw the trees where the T. Rex had been. Even the ones he had not been standing on were down now, and the dinosaur was nowhere to be seen. Then her eyes caught movement, and Kitty looked at the ground. The Rex's tail had just struck the ground, but where was the rest of him? She turned back toward Rachel, who was now grinning proudly. "What did you do?"

"I taught him not to mess with you," Ray replied with a grin that hid her pain.

Kitty eyed her best friend. "Rachel, you know better than that! You only have so much power!" She reached out, catching Ray just as her knees crumpled beneath her. "You shouldn't have done that!"

"What did you want me to do?" Rachel asked, smiling weakly up into Kitty's brown eyes. "Let him eat you?"

A grin tugged at Kitty's lips. "No, but still -- !"

"No buts. We don't have time for but's," Ray told her with a shake of her head. "We need to get moving."

Shadowcat nodded. "You're right." Draping one of Rachel's arms around her shoulder, Kitty helped her to walk as the trio began to make their get-away while the T. Rex was still out cold . . .

* * *

**A Forest**

"ALARTE ASCENDARE!" Though she shouted the words, she could not even hear her own voice. The snake's scales pressed against her mouth. She tasted it, and its pressure quieted her voice. But her mouth still opened and she still spoke the words, her two free fingers moving the end of her wand toward the snake.

She spoke another spell and the first again, and this time, though she still could not hear herself, the snake's eyes shot wide with surprise for its coils were unwrapping around her even faster than they had wrapped around her to begin with. Her magic whipped the snake's long body around her own, freeing her coil by coil in a matter of seconds. Then, once its coils were completely loose, it shot off of her and spiraled upward through the air. It paused in the sky, its mouth hissing wildly in a panicked scream and its eyes shooting even wider than hers had been when it had captured her; then it fell.

The snake screamed even louder and fiercer as it dropped back down. Minerva was pulling herself together and getting her feet positioned underneath her when the snake slammed back into the earth. She cried out against the pain that shot through her body as she forced herself to jump to her feet and whirl toward the giant snake. She pointed her wand at the beast, and this time, her spell thundered out. "INCENDIO!" The snake burst into flames.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

A green, bald head eyeballed the gathered Pirates now. "Euuw!" Jasmine exclaimed. "Who's that? They're ugly!"

"Gee," Phillip told her, "thanks. You're not exactly beautiful yourself."

Jasmine held her head high, her eyes gazing defiantly back at the mirror. "As a matter of fact, I am too! I may not know much, but I know that much! Otherwise, I would never have sold as much as I have!" She waltzed proudly out of the room to go check on Clark's kids. With both their fathers gone to who knew where, they would need her to watch over them.

Autolycus looked at Phillip and made a circular motion with his finger around his ear. "The girl is a bit crazy in the head, but you shouldn't have told her that she wasn't pretty because she is. We don't have an ugly woman, Phillip. We have some bitches, but even they're pretty. That was very rude and ugly of you, and have you looked in your own mirror lately?"

Phillip scowled at the mustached man. "Well, it was very rude of _her_ to imply that I was ugly. Mind your own reflection, Pirate."

"Always do," Autolycus told him as he twitched his mustache. "Gotta look the best for Elizabeth. She's a beautiful woman and deserves only the very best."

"Then what's she doing with you?"

"I'm the very best, my friend!" He chuckled, and laughter sounded around him. "Joxer, my friend, you and I should go and hunt for the missing rum! If we find it, we could all have a party while we're waiting on them to come back!"

"I'm not going anywhere other than right here!" Joxer announced. "Eventually, he's going to make the mistake of showing Phoebe again, and when he does, I'm going through!" He sat on the bed with sword in quivering hand.

"Now, Joxer, do you really think Phoebe wants you to follow her so that she can worry about you getting killed?" He didn't want to tell the man, but Joxer couldn't fight his way out of a burlap bag.

"Me getting killed?! Ha! I'm Joxer the Mighty! I'll have to save them from getting killed!"

"Well, you know, it's kind of cold over there, Joxer, and a bit of rum would go a long way to warming every one up."

"If you want rum," Joxer told him, his eyes still not leaving the mirror's horrid reflection, "go find it yourself!"

"Be a lot faster if you'd come too." He could see he was not getting anywhere with Joxer and couldn't think of anything else that might get him away from the mirror. He wanted to ask to see Elizabeth again but was almost afraid to.

Dawson had not taken his eyes off of Phillip. "Well?" he demanded. "Show me Faith!"

"It's about time you asked, boy," Phillip told the fair-headed lad, turning his scowl upon him. Then his picture disappeared, and darkness fell across his reflection. Eventually, the darkness began to be filtered by moonlight as the cloud that had been hiding the full moon passed . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

"Faith!"

"Faith, help me!"

"Help me, Faith!"

"Help!"

"Faith!"

"Help me, Faith!"

"Faith, help me!"

"Help, Faith!"

"**_Faith!!!_**"

"**_Help!!!_**"

She awoke to four different voices screaming her name at once. Faith groaned as she raised her head off of the rock that she had landed face-first upon. At first, the world around her spun, but as she slowly shook her head and waited for her vision to clear, she began to make out her surroundings. She must be very high up, because the full moon seemed to be almost within her reach. The voices . . . Her dark eyes suddenly flew open with realization, and she jumped to her feet! The voices that were yelling desperately for help belonged to Dawson, Salem, Lex, and Jack!

Looking toward the cries, Faith saw three hands and one paw scrambling for a hold on four different sides of the cliff she had landed upon. "I'm coming, guys!" she called to them, her heart lodging in her throat as she worried over whether or not she could reach them all in time. She had no time to consider which one to go after first, however, as they all lost their grips simultaneously . . .

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Dawson's mouth fell open. "DAMN!" He did not even realize the word had come out of him. "THAT'S NOT ME, FAITH!" he tried calling out to her. "I'M RIGHT HERE! I'M LOOKING AT YOU, BABY!" He continued to watch, hoping to see how he could help before jumping blindly and only making matters worse.

* * *

**Somewhere**

"**_NO!!_**" She lunged for Dawson first. The look of panic on his face scared her as she reached for his hand. The very ends of his fingers brushed hers as he dropped, but she could reach no further. She leapt off of the side of the cliff, spiraling down towards him and trying desperately to reach him as his, Salem's, Jack's, and Lex's screams all plagued her ears . . . The one yell she did not hear was her own as terror clutched at her heart. There was no way that she could save all four simultaneously, and she could not see the bottom of whatever they were dropping into! Sure death might well await them, she thought, and yet there was nothing she could do about it!

Finally, Faith made contact with Dawson's hand. She grabbed his hand as though he were her lifeline and called down to him. "HOLD ON!" Her back had already been scaling down the rocky edge of the cliff, but she had not tried to grab hold to something to stop her descent with. She still did not now and instead struck her feet against the side of the cliff and sprang off. She repeated the maneuver several more times as they continued to drop, trying to angle herself towards the yowling, spitting, and clawing black ball of fur she saw falling nearby but never letting go of her grip on Dawson's hand . . . "GRAB MY ARM!" Just as he did as she requested, his white-knuckled fingers tightly grasping her forearm, she managed to angle towards Salem . . .

Even as Faith began trying to grab hold of Salem, she knew that she could not reach Jack and Lex. They were probably about to die, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Wolverine surfaced for air just in time to see Elizabeth cutting her foot and adding her blood to the water. He had been about to make that decision himself but knew that it was a dangerous thing to do as it would draw other predators beside the Krakken. "Get away from the water, Elizabeth; there're other things down here that will come in answer to yer call!"

Elizabeth's eyes rose and turned to face Wolverine defiantly. "You want to find Jack while he's still alive, don't you?" she called back.

"Yeah, but I don't want to get you ate in the meantime! He'd never forgive me if something happened to you! You've done enough, girl, an' they will soon be comin'!"

"And when they come," Elizabeth told him, "I will be ready and will fight beside you and Will!" She held her head high and breathed deeply.

Wolverine saw the two swords. He remembered back when he had seen Elizabeth fighting before and she had barely been able to hold up one. How was she ever going to handle two?! His senses tingled, and he realized that a predator was arriving but not the one they hoped for. It was a huge shark, and it was heading straight for the pair of them!

* * *

**A Cavern**

Kyna fought to control her raging emotions, but outwardly she remained calm save her fisted hands, whitened knuckles, thin-set lips, and betraying eyes. Her voice, however, came out in a hiss. "Do not _dare_ to speak of him, Demon! My William is not a monster!"

"You defend him so, though he is one of the same race as I?"

"He may be a Vampire but his soul is far from black!"

"Neither is mine! How could you ever think such a thing of me, my sweet wife?!"

"Stop calling me such names, or I shall have your tongue! I am not your wife for you, you foul, lowsome monstrosity, are not my Sheng!"

"But I am! Can you not see for yourself? Do you not remember my body?" His eyes sought hers, but she refused to meet his gaze. "My eyes?" He stretched out a hand toward her. She eyed it, expecting an attack, but none came. Claws yellowed from decay stretched further toward her as his gnarled hand opened to offer her his palm.

She didn't take it.

"Take it."

"No!"

"Oh, my dearest darling, why can you not see that I am me? If you can even forgive the monster who killed and turned me, why can you not accept me?"

He'd done it now! Spike's involvement was still a sore spot in the treasure of a relationship he shared with Kyna, and he'd be damned if he'd let this creature use it against her! With a snarl, he started forward.

* * *

**The North Pole**

As they came to the clearing, they saw that the entire sky seemed to be filled with the awful presence of the Ice Demon. Their frantic eyes searched the ground and found their beloved Crys laying upon the ground that was covered with snow and ice. Blood was also sprinkled upon the ground, and the entire group realized that the blood was Crystal's without looking any closer at it. Jack and the animals recognized the area immediately. Lorne and Cordelia did not look past Crystal's body that was quickly becoming covered with ice, but Angel's and Delvira's gazes caught sight of a pattern in the snow underneath her. The Vampires looked closer and saw that the pattern was not natural but whether manmade, an inverted pentagram.

"Damn," Delvira whispered. "She didn't just take herself to him. She intended to give in to him entirely; that must be where it all started."

Lorne could not tear his eyes away from the woman he loved, and the minute that Jack sat him on the ground, he raced to her side. "Stop it, Crys!" he begged her as he gathered her in his arms. "I know you can still hear me! Do not give in! We're here to help you fight! Do not leave me, my darling!" he pleaded.

Angel's eyes had only looked at Crys for a few seconds before returning to Frostbite. He knew he was the strongest one of the group, yet he knew Frostbite could take him out in the blink of an eye. He had no plan. He had raked his brain seriously, trying to come up with something, but none had formed. How to defeat ice? And not just ice, but the most awful amount of ice he'd ever seen in his life? If only they had some kind of firepower! "Do you have a plan?" he asked Delvira.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Dawson shook his head. He knew that what he was seeing had to be mirages. He'd already seen Jack and Lex and knew that the two before them were not them. Was Faith even real? He knew the Dawson wasn't, because here he kneeled, gazing into Phillip! "Phillip, what is fake and what is real here? Can you show me the difference? How can I help?" He eagerly anticipated getting there, but he didn't want to just blindly jump into it. What if he caused further damage?

"I can not."

Autolycus had been watching what was going on with Faith. He, too, had looked from the boy that Faith was rescuing to the kid kneeling on the floor. "Which one of you is real?" he asked. He reached out and tapped Dawson with his booted foot. "You feel real, but are you really who you appear to be?"

At Autolycus' words, the remaining Pirates pulled swords and pointed them straight at Dawson, who looked at them in fright. "What do you mean if I'm real?! Of course I'm real! That's the fake one!"

Sebastian scuttled quickly across the floor and sniffed Dawson. "He smells real enough, mon!"

Bishop had been in the room eyeing Chong, who was still naked, the whole time and was now brandishing a sword. He didn't like being anywhere near the China man, let alone a naked, armed China man. He kept trying to remember where he'd lost his gun but couldn't. Now, when Dawson was in question, he had leaped toward the bed, grabbing a sword and being one of the first to point it directly at Dawson. If the China man moved on him, he could swing it instantly toward the China man and defend himself.

Hansel eyed the big, black man who kept looking at his lover. He didn't know the stranger, but he didn't appreciate the way he kept staring at Chong. His grip on the hilt of the sword he'd pulled from the bed tightened, and he moved his feet silently against the floor. It didn't bother him that he was naked or that the large step he took left his member dangling down into the open for all to see. The only thing that really was bothering him right now was the way the African was looking at _his_ Chinese otter. His blue eyes narrowed as he looked at the big man angrily. He might be big, but he could still take him! If he made one move on Chong, there would be Hell to pay!

Carlos glanced from the naked men and Bishop to Trent, whose face was redder than a tomato. A grin tugged at his mouth even as he kept his sword pointed on the kid. He really wanted to laugh at the situation and especially the look on Trent's face, but he wasn't about to embarrass his best friend even further. Plus, he was worried about Trina, who Trent and he had been searching for when screams had erupted from this room and they had come to see what was happening, and had already been contemplating seeing if the mirror could find her, though he figured she was probably safe down on the beach, when the boy's identity had been taken into question. Carlos barely knew the lad, but the knowledge of the possibility of an enemy being within their abode had caused him, like Trent, to pull a sword upon the boy. Now he listened and watched what was happening and wondered just how good the talking lobster's nose was. Dare they trust the crab's judgment, especially when he'd make a much better meal than he would an alley?

Rogue didn't know if Dawson was real or not. Her mind had been on Joseph and Kennedy, and the worry had caused small creases in her forehead. She didn't feel right about leaving Kennedy alone, but she had to find out where Joseph was and what was going on. When the commotion about the boy being real or not had erupted, she merely glanced at him and used that moment to ask Phillip where Joseph was.

Trent looked at the lobster, his eyes seeming about to pop out of his head, even as the mirror's reflection changed. "Did you just talk?" His grip on the sword he held had become lax, but now he retightened it. What was with all these talking animals?! Did any one else hear this one?

* * *

**Somewhere**

The first thing Joseph became aware of was several somethings poking hard into his body. He could see feet when his eyes opened, but when he tried to lift his head, something hard, perhaps made of wood, shoved his head back into the dirt. "Stay down, man," a voice snarled.

"He looks like a good specimen," another voice spoke.

"He might produce well."

It was female voices that were speaking from above him, and Joseph definitely did not like what he was hearing. He tried several times to rise while they continued talking, but he was struck back down each time. "Let's see how good a kisser he is."

Joseph's blue eyes shot wild at that statement. His hands balled into fists. His mind searched for metallic objects, magnetism in the earth, anything he might able to use . . . Just as he was beginning to get a fix on it, however, one of the women grabbed a handful of his long, white hair, snatched his head back, and planted her lips firmly upon his.

"I swear I don't know what she sees in those things."

"They're so disgusting!"

"Males! If we didn't need them for breeding season -- "

Several gasps then escaped the women as their own swords snatched out of their hands and began striking the one who was kissing the man. She yelled as they hit her knees, forcing her to fall and, therefore, relinquish her grip. "Women," Joseph roared as he finally succeeded in getting to his feet as he defended himself with the flying swords, "I am not interested!"

"We don't care if you're interested," a woman brandishing sais told him as she approached him. "We're taking you any way." Her sais snatched away from her.

Another woman hit Joseph in the back of the head with her bo staff. He fell to the ground, unconscious, and the metal weapons also fell. "I don't know how he was doing it," another Amazon commented, "but he must have been controlling them!"

"A fine specimen indeed then. Let's away with him, sisters!"

An especially large and muscular woman walked up, picked Joseph up as though he weighed no more than a babe, and tossed him over her shoulder. They began to carry him off in the direction of their camp.

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Rogue stared angrily at the mirror, her hands clenched in rage. How dare those filthy bitches touch her man and even suggest that he be for breeding season! She had to get there so that she could kick their asses! "Amazons?" she asked Phillip.

"That would be my guess."

"Ah need some one ta watch Kennedy." She turned around and looked at the Pirates in the room. "The kid's really Dawson," she told them. "Ah don' know why y'all're pickin' on him. Ah know Faith ain't gonna like it when she gets back. Now which one o' ya's gonna volunteer to watch Kennedy until Ah return?"

Considering his options, Bishop looked from Hansel's sword to Chong's much larger sword. "I'll do it," he was quick to tell Rogue.

"Thank ya, Bishop. She's in mah room." Rogue said even as she flew through Phillip and Bishop made a beeline for the safety of Rogue's room.

* * *

**The Beach**

Trina's eyes widened as she saw the winged being that was now on the mirror. "That's not what I meant." She continued to be careful to keep her voice to a low whisper that she hoped would not carry through the mirror.

"That's what you said."

"Who said what?" Joxer asked, looking at Phillip. "And what made her," he continued, meaning Rogue, "so sure that this is Dawson?" He poked at Dawson with his sword and eyed the talking lobster. Was his name Sebastian or something like that? "How good is your nose?"

"_That's_ the Angel of Death?"

"The head one, yes."

"There's more than one?"

"Yes."

* * *

**Somewhere**

To Rogue's amazement, she did not find herself in the beautiful, lush-covered area that she had just witnessed, but it was dark all around! She continued to fly, not knowing where she was going, blindly seeking her way, and then, up ahead, she saw a light. The more she flew toward it, the further away it seemed. Ah must reach that destination! she told herself.

Ah have ta get there! Joseph must be on the othah side o' the light! She sped up her flight, hoping that it would not take her too long to reach the Amazons who dared to pick on her man. She hoped Kennedy had not managed to do something stupid in the short time it would have taken Bishop to reach her room. She continued flying.

* * *

**Somewhere**

They were coming! He could feel the temperatures dropping and the darkness somehow seemed to be growing even darker. He held his wand high above him and ran as fast as his old legs could carry him. He felt them growing ever closer and then something lowered into the pathway in front of him.

It looked, at first glance, like a black cloak simply hanging in the air, but Erik knew better. He didn't need to look to see the gnarled hands reaching for him. He turned and started to run in the other direction, but another dropped down in front of him. He fought down the urge to scream, turned, and ran in another direction. The Dementors followed hot on his heels.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Wolverine turned to face the enemy, his claws at the ready. He dove under just as the shark was about to ram into him. He raked his claws down the shark's side, causing deep, gashing wounds to appear. Other predators would now be coming for the scent of blood was heavy in the water. The girl would not listen to him, and he knew better than to argue with her. He resurfaced, seeing the floating shark laying dead in the water.

Will popped up beside Wolverine. "Are you crazy?!" he started to ask Wolverine, wondering why in the heck the old man, who should have known better, had just infested the water with blood when he saw Elizabeth. "ELIZABETH, GET OUT OF THE WATER!" he yelled.

"No! Now catch!" She tossed the sword, whose feel she liked the less, to him. She was determined to fight but knew that she was nowhere near as good as any of the men. Wolverine had his claws and was not in need of a sword, but Will would do wonderfully with two blades.

Will quickly sheathed his hatchet and deftly caught the sword. "GET OUT," he yelled again, "BEFORE THE PREDATORS COME!"

Elizabeth did not bother to argue with the men, but her eyes grew large as she saw, in the silver light of the moon, ripples appearing in the water behind them. "GET READY!" she told them. "SOMETHING'S COMING!" The words were barely out of her mouth when she dove and began swimming to reach them.

* * *

**A Cavern**

"William did not kill Sheng!" As the adamant protest exploded from her mouth, Kyna sprang into action. She struck her enemy's offered hand with her elbow, grabbed his head, and slammed his head into her knee. As the creature fell back with a yowl of pain and a despairing cry of how she could have done that to "him", Kyna turned to look for Spike, whose snarl she had heard. She kept one eye on the beast even as she took in the welcomed sight of her handsome beloved.

"Hello, luv." He grinned fangily at her, trying to make light of the dire, traumatic experience they were caught in.

"William . . . " She breathed his name even as she marvelled at how he had known she needed him and had somehow, by some miracle (it had to be a miracle to get him through all the Council's spells and other guards, especially in one piece), managed to reach her. Then a horrifying thought occurred to Kyna. Her eyes shot wild, and her face blanched. "You are real, aren't you?!" She might be able to fight Sheng, but she could never fight both Sheng and William!!!

* * *

**Somewhere**

His vision was darkening. Pain filled every inch of him. He knew he would soon be joining his Missus without even a chance of enjoying life without her domineering ways, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He had no way to fight. He had never been able to fight. He had always relied on his King for protection, but there was no sign of his King sweeping to his rescue this time. There was also no sign of the fire Witch who had stood for him. There was no sign of help at all, and soon . . . Soon, it would all be too late . . .

Something huge slammed into the tree, and everything immediately turned topsy turvy. Worm and the baby birds screeched simultaneously as they fell. Worm coiled into a tight ball, making himself even tinier, and the small birds beat their wings to no avail. From far away, he heard two larger birds screaming, and Worm realized that the parents were flying after their babies. He drew himself even tighter together, so tightly that he felt like he might break what little body he had left.

The huge birds flew past him, their screeches filling his sensors. He fell again for what felt like forever, but this time forever turned out to be far shorter than it had been before. When he landed, Worm uncoiled just enough that he could lift his head and look around. The birds had flown back up into the sky. He didn't know if they had saved all their children or not, and as their babies had been feeding upon him, Worm really didn't care. Looking further around, he saw a massive green tail disappearing into the distance. Worm didn't know what it was but figured that that must have been what had knocked the tree over.

Without wasting any time, Worm then turned his attention to seeking a hiding place. Spotting a hole under a nearby tree, Worm began to wriggle toward it. He never realized that he was leaving a trail of blood behind him or that there was a crumpled body just a few feet away . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Chapter Thirty**

**Somewhere**

It was coming straight at him, and Wolverine had no intention of getting out of the way. The damned thing had swallowed his son, and it was not going to get away this time! He drove himself as far upward as he could in the water and then leaped toward the damn thing as it came within reach. His claws slashed fiercely, trying to create a hole for Jack to come out. He knew he was in there; it was just a matter of getting him out! The damn thing's arms swirled wildly around, trying to gain purchase on Wolverine.

When Will had recognized the approaching form as being that of the accursed monster they were seeking, he had taken in several large gasps of oxygen and then dove. He had swam swiftly, and when the creature passed overhead, he swam back upwards even more swiftly. He held both swords at the ready, and as soon as he was within reaching distance, began slicing at the monster from underneath.

Elizabeth surfaced behind Wolverine just in time to see an arm about to grasp him. She cut at the tentacle, her blade swiping through the creature's arm. It splashed into the water, and she dove back underneath just as more arms came at her. She kicked backwards in the water, swiping at the arms with her sword, and surfaced again once she was out of its reach. She moved in rapidly for another cut.

Blood and flesh were splashing all around them in the water, but Wolverine's mind was not thinking clearly. He knew that it would draw other predators, but right now, he had to get Jack out of the belly of that thing. He prayed that his son still lived, but if he didn't, he'd hunt down every bloody member of the Council and kill every one of them in a horrible death.

They had no right! No right at all, he reminded himself, to kill Jack this way! They needed to get the thing out of the water and slice off its head; maybe then they could find Jack! He had no clue as to how to get the thing out of the water in the first place, though.

Elizabeth was going at the battle, cutting with her sword and moving quickly out of the monster's reach, with everything she had in her. While the men concentrated on ripping the creature open to free Jack, she focused on trying to slice off every one of its horrid arms. Something slimy touched her back, but before she could react, a wild, loud yipping filled the air. A blade blew past her, and she heard a splash as whatever part of the creature had touched her fell into the water.

Her rescuer continued his leap, jumping up onto the monster's head and beginning to beat at the thing with everything he had in his small body. "NEVER FEAR, FAIR LADY! I'LL CONQUER THIS MOUNTAIN!"

Elizabeth nearly laughed out loud despite the direity of the situation and her fear. Of all the ones she might have expected to come help, never would Jareth's small dog Knight have come to her mind! He was now cutting the remaining arms away from Wolverine, and she dove under the water to check on Will.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Lex felt himself falling, falling, falling . . . He expected to hit the hard ground at any moment, breaking every bone in his body, but was delighted when he landed in something far softer. He put a hand out, touched the area beneath him, and recognized the feel immediately. He was sitting on top of hay in a -- he glanced around -- hayloft that he knew well and brought many memories rushing to his mind. He smiled as he recalled so many of the times that he and Clark had made love here near the beginning of their romance. They had even spent whole nights up here many a time, just talking, long before they had ever ran off and signed up to the Black Pearl together. This simple hayloft was his beloved Clark's sanctuary, and Lex had always felt honored to be here.

Lex shook himself with a stern reminder that he could not afford to reminisce now. He could not even fathom how a test with any real difficulty could possibly happen here on the Kent farm that had felt like his first true home, despite the constant rejection of Clark's father and the hatred that Jonathan Kent had always sent his way for the family heritage that the man always needled him about. What harm could possibly befall him here on the Kent farm where he had first tasted the possibility of a loving family and a happy homelife, where Clark and Martha had both always welcomed him with open arms? He'd see the Kents once again, let them know that their son was doing fine, and do some chores for them. There was bound to be something else planned for him, as well, but whatever it was, it couldn't possibly be that bad. He'd breeze through this test and be back home with Clark in no time.

By the light of the moon, Lex made his way down the ladder and headed toward the house. It was a beautiful night, and a cool breeze was blowing. He could hear the crickets chirping in the nearby fields and recalled the one time that, with his parents gone for the night, Clark had dared to lay out in the open field with him and hold him in his arms. They had listened to the crickets and the other sounds of the night, and Lex had paid rapt attention to Clark as he had explained, in full detail, what each and every sound was. They had also made sweet, beautiful love that night, the only night they had ever dared to do so in the open here on Small Isle . . .

Lex again shook himself from his thoughts as he reached the house. The lights were not on, but he bravely walked up to the door and knocked. His smile only began to fade when no one answered and a light failed to come on. He was starting to worry that something may have happened to the Kents and that that might have something to do with the test, and how it could be hard, and his fist was raised to knock a second time when a light flickered on. Lex could tell from the way the light moved that it came from a lantern and could hear Martha whispering fearfully to Jonathan to be careful. He smiled and sighed with relief that the Kents were indeed all right and then called reassuringly through the door, "It's just me, Mrs. Kent."

Jonathan almost ran to the door, and Lex was taken aback as he heard the fury that Jonathan opened the locks with. He snatched the door open, letting it bang against the side of the house, and demanded furiously, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE THIS TIME OF THE NIGHT, LEX LUTHOR?!" If there was one thing Jonathan Kent did not want, Lex knew, it was a Luthor standing in his face, but he could not help his bloodline. He had thought, the last time he had been here, that Jonathan was finally getting used to the idea that he was not like his father, but now he knew better. Jonathan would never look upon him as anything but a Luthor. Jonathan hated Lionel and had absolutely no use for him, probably because of their past together that Lex could only guess at, but the way Jonathan was now acting, Lex feared that Clark's father probably hated him even more than he did his father.

Lex tried not to allow his hurt, or even his surprise, to show. He hid it well, as he had always hid his emotions as a young lad growing up here. He would never have expected Jonathan to welcome him with open arms, but he also never would have thought he would be so furious. "Clark's doing fine," he managed to get out with a half-smile, hoping that that good news would calm Jonathan down.

"Of course Clark's doing fine, and he'd best be still in bed!" Jonathan snapped, his eyes darting behind him toward Clark's room.

Lex almost let his shock show but managed to maintain his game face just in time. He could not believe that Jonathan believed Clark was there! He knew he wasn't anywhere around! He couldn't be; the Wizards had sworn that he was safe and back on the island! "Could I see Clark?" he asked calmly, knowing that he could prove Jonathan wrong if he could only see whatever it was that he thought was his son.

"Not this time of the night! Come back in the morning, if you must!"

Expecting the door to be shut in his face at any second and wondering why Mrs. Kent had not intervened and chastised her husband for his behavior as she had so often done before, Lex looked around. He wondered where he could spend the night. Perhaps in the hayloft? He then glanced back inside the house, surprised that Jonathan had still not slammed the door and that Martha had yet to come forward.

Martha stood, half-hidden behind her husband, and didn't say anything despite the ticked expression on her lovely face. She couldn't see out into the yard but could tell, from the voice she heard answering her husband, that Lex was asking for Clark. She finally managed to get out from behind Jonathan and see out. "Why, Lex!" Lex's heart gave a hopeful little jump at her exclamation but then sputtered back down when she questioned, "Where's your horse?"

"I walked here." Besides being the only answer he could think to give, it was the truth. He had walked here from the hayloft.

Martha looked at the young man in apparent concern. "What could be so important that you would walk here this late at night?"

Jonathan reluctantly moved out of the way. He could tell that he was not getting Lex out of there as soon as he wanted to. Maybe he should call Clark and have him tell Lex to go home?

"It's dangerous to be out this time of the night," Martha continued talking to Lex without even so much as glancing at her husband. "You can spend the night in our barn till morning. I'll tell Clark first thing in the morning that you want to see him."

"I can't see him tonight?" Lex asked half-heartedly, still daring to hope. Clark had to have somehow gotten here. After all, surely Martha could tell her own son?

"Clark is tired," Jonathan informed him coldly. "He plowed all day. He works, something people like you don't know anything about. Go to the barn and leave us alone!" He slammed the door in Lex's face.

Lex pondered Jonathan's words as he slowly made his way back to the barn, his head hanging. He didn't know what was going on, but he could now tell that his coming trial would not be as easy as he had at first thought it would. Why was Clark here? he wondered again. And why had Jonathan claimed that he had plowed all day? Perhaps that was what Clark had told them to explain his exhaustion. Lex knew that, after everything they'd been through recently, his poor baby _was_ exhausted, and it wasn't as though he could tell his father the truth . . . But still he was not on trial, so what was he doing here?

And where was Faith? She and Jack had both been with him when they had been tossed out of the court room and to their trials, so shouldn't they have all landed together? He could certainly use their bravery right now and both their advisement, Faith's on what to do about Clark and Jack's on what to do about this whole strange situation.

Lex climbed slowly back into the loft and lay down. Part of him did not even want to consider sleeping, but he knew he had best get some rest to deal with whatever he would come across in the light of day. It still took him a while to drift off to sleep.

His last thoughts, as his eyes finally shut, were of Clark and their children. He really didn't see how there could be two Clarks, so for some weird reason that only they knew, the Council had sent him here. He knew everything would be all right in the morning, once he saw Clark. It just had to be. What had to be fixed here, what kind of test he must face, Lex had no clue, but he was confident that he could do it. "Our love will see us through," he told an invisible Clark. "I'll see you in the morning, my love, and we'll get it all straightened out." Lex fell asleep, feeling the touch of Clark's lips upon his.

* * *

**Somewhere**

His ribs shook. His stomach queased. Everything in him shook until Salem thought he was surely bound to throw up, but still he ran, determined to put as much distance between himself and those terrible bulls as possible and desperate to get away from them lest they follow him. The world around him spun at a blinding rate. He tripped over his own front paws and tumbled head first onto the ground. He tried to get back up immediately, but a tremble passed through his small body and he collapsed again.

You have to get up. You have to get up. Get your cat ass up, Saberhagen! he commanded. He lifted his head, turned to the side, and spat up. He wove from side to side and looked at the vomit with crossed eyes. Had he done as much as he saw, or was he seeing two, three, maybe even four piles?

Salem shook himself. Get yourself together, old man! You can't blow this! He flattened his four paws onto the dirt and pushed himself up. He had barely stood when he felt a mighty tremble in the earth. His green eyes shot wide with panic as the tremble rapidly grew into an earthquake! Dear Gods! What now?! He looked ahead, expecting to find the earth opening up, eager to swallow him, but instead he saw a cloud of smoke that was billowing and growing steadily larger and nearer.

Salem cocked his head to one side as he looked at the smoke. It reminded him of some of the smoke clouds that he and the boys had occasionally worked up in their down time. They had had fun trying to exhale their smoke into designs of all sorts, each trying to outdo the other one. There had been everything from hearts to dragons to crossbones to . . .

**_BUFFALO!?!?!?!_** Salem let out a yowl that could have deafened a banshee. It was no earthquake headed for him; it was an entire herd of rampaging buffalo! Yowling at the top of his lungs, Salem leapt to his feet and took off running in the direction he had just come from!

* * *

**The North Pole**

Frostbite had not seen Crystal's would-be rescuers arrive until Lorne raced to her side with Cordelia following closely behind him. Now, however, as he took in their forms, he laughed even more. "THEY STILL WANT TO SAVE YOU, MY LITTLE POPSICLE! WHY DON'T YOU TELL THEM WHAT YOU REALLY THINK OF THEM? OR SHALL I DO IT FOR YOU?"

Crystal's ice had almost completely covered her body by the time Lorne reached her. Her brain was now barely functioning. Her blue eyes cracked open slightly, and she gazed up into his handsome face. "Lorne," she gasped, "you shouldn't be here! Please! You must leave! It's too late! There's no other way!"

Cordelia stayed nearby the couple, her hazel eyes searching the area for some kind of weapon that might come in handy but not seeing anything. She heard a yell and looked to where Crystal's cousin and animals were gathering before them.

Crystal's children had placed themselves in a line between Crys and Frostbite. All three were growling savagely, their eyes locked on Frostbite. They all wanted to be with her, but they knew that protecting her was of the most importance right now. Blue was in the air above his sisters, and their fur stood on end in warning. They knew they were no match for Frostbite but would do whatever they could to save their beloved mistress.

"DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING HE SAYS!" Jack hovered higher in the air than Blue and kept himself positioned between Frostbite and the animals. He had ran from this monster for far too long. He was no more a match for him than Crys was, but he'd do whatever he could. If he died in the battle, perhaps Santa would finally have to awaken to the fact that everything was _not_ peaceful in the North Pole.

A whooshing sound was Delvira's first answer to Angel. Her legs were spread apart, her feet braced in the snow. Her long, black hair stood on end, and her entire body was taut with concentration. Words of an ancient language poured from her black lips, and her eyes stayed closed as her fire grew. It shot from her hands, growing larger and larger until it seemed to encompass her whole body. Her black eyes flew open, and the firelight danced in them. With a scream of rage, she threw every bit of fire at the same area Crystal had been trying to reach.

* * *

**The Beach**

"How many are there?"

"You can not ask me that!" Several eyes went to the offended mirror. "That would be akin to asking me how many stars are in the sky!"

"Damn," Trina muttered. How was she going to locate Andrew now? "Are there any by the name of Andrew?"

"Yes."

"Can you show them to me?"

"There is only one by the name of Andrew."

Trina leaned forward; this had to be it! "Show me," she breathed, her voice shaking and her heart pounding.

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

The minute they'd heard the mirror speak the name "Andrew", Carlos and Trent had looked up. They had met each other's questioning gaze, nodded wordlessly, and looked back to the mirror's reflection. Trina must somehow be looking at the mirror. "Guys," Trent whispered, "is the mirror somewhere else?"

"You can trust mon sniffer," Sebastian said indignantly. "It's part o' my livelihood, mon. When I'm in the mood for shrimp, I find shrimp by smell. Dis boy got Faith all o'er him. Don' know what Faith is fightin' ta save on de oder side, but it ain't de real t'ing, mon."

"I swear, by my love for Faith, that I am the one, true Dawson!" Dawson said as he got slowly to his feet. All the swords pointing at him made him extremely nervous, but he knew he had to get back to Faith and would need some help to get there alive as none of the swords had wavered until now. When he heard the question about whether there was another mirror, he told the two men, "Yes. There's another mirror on the beach. The one we ran away from today."

Trent and Carlos looked at each other again out of the corner of their eyes. Their minds were quickly thinking the same thoughts. Trina had to be on the beach. She was asking to see Andrew, and there was no telling what he might be doing when she saw him or how she might react. Carlos' heart ached as terribly as Trent's to go to Trina, but his calculating mind already realized that, if Trina jumped, the quickest way to reach her would be to go through this side of the mirror. However, if she didn't jump . . . "Go," he mouthed to Trent.

Carlos rolled his eyes as Trent dropped the sword he had held and ran.

* * *

**The North Pole**

"If you die, my love, so do we all for, without you, there is no life!" Lorne got slowly to his feet and turned to face the monster. "None of us will leave you! He'll have to take us all!" He was not surprised that Crystal's animals were now in full attack mode, just waiting for the signal. He was amazed that Delvira seemed to be burning herself completely up. One thought occurred to him: stop Frostbite at any cost!

He knew that what he was about to do would hurt every one's ears there, but he couldn't help it. It was the one weapon he had that was truly his own. He opened his mouth, and the first thing that came out was a scream that turned into a song. His voice continued to grow as he poured every inch of himself into the song. His hands were by his side, his fingers curled into fists, and as he poured everything he had into the song, his pitch grew steadily, becoming the absolute shrillest and highest pitch that any Pylean had ever used. His voice far surpassed the pitches of anything on Earth, and still he continued, giving it all he had. He could not hear Angel's screams or Cordelia's, and he continued even as he himself was driven to his knees.

He saw blood pouring from Angel's ears as Angel clutched his hands to his head, trying to drown out the pain. His voice kept raising until even the very ground they were kneeling on shook. Then he saw Delvira launch a second fireball. Her first fireball had been turned to ice and shattered with a taunt from Frostbite, questioning how they could be foolish enough to think that they could possibly stand a chance of hurting him at all and why they were willing to risk life and limb for a little bitch who had said herself, or so he claimed for Lorne refused to believe him, that she cared nothing for them, but the second soared straight at his chest while he remained too distracted in his efforts to block out the sound of Lorne's voice to do anything about it.

As Delvira's fireball hurtled toward Frostbite, Jack also attacked. Snowballs the size of boulders, hail the size of cannonballs, and ice shards the size of broadswords all sailed at Frostbite's ugly face. At the same time, Blue flew higher, circling around the others' attacks, and opening his mouth in a gigantic roar that let out a rush of fire that Lorne couldn't help thinking was probably every bit of fire the little dragon had in his possession. Blue's fire struck Delvira's fireball, which was actually even bigger than her first, and the two grew together as they continued on their way to Frostbite's chest.

Lorne could barely see for the sweat that poured into his red eyes, but he thought he saw a figure flying in just about that time. He thought he heard the yell of a familiar voice but couldn't be sure for he could hardly hear his own labored breathing. He did, however, know when a third source of fire added to the first two's. All rushed into Frostbite's chest simultaneously just as the figure grabbed Blue and dove out of the way with him.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Xena's eyes had shot wide open when the plant exploded, raining the petals and blood down upon her, but she rushed forward now and began to cut at the mouth of the plant, being careful not to hit 'Ro but whacking steadily away at the plant. Why the explosion had not killed it, she didn't know, and now that Piper had come into her second power, Xena was worried about the girls they had left behind. Were they, too, coming into their second powers? If they were as strong as Piper's, woe be unto any one who messed with them!

Gabrielle rushed toward the plant right after Xena. As her lover whacked into the plant repeatedly, the blonde's green eyes carefully examined what she could see of Ororo. She started pulling herbs out of the pouch she always carried on her belt, glad that she had had the forethought to return to their bedroom long enough to grab her supplies which had, by some miracle, shown up in their room.

Piper knew the plant had exploded, and she feared that she had triggered the explosion. She didn't want to think about that now, though. She didn't want to think about the whys and ifs of the explosion; she only wanted to concentrate on freeing Ororo. She dared not try her hands again, however, and she feared that if she attempted to pull 'Ro free from the mouth, she would only end up getting her beloved godmother hurt even more. She looked on as Xena cut into what remained of the plant's mouth, her heart beating rapidly and fearfully.

Finally, the plant began to let go, but Xena did not stop until every piece was cut up. As she cut the final piece away from over Ororo, she could see the bite marks covering her body. It looked as though some huge animal had intended to eat her. Xena had never seen anything but a Venus flytrap eat at its prey so thoroughly. This plant did not resemble any Venus flytrap she had ever seen, but she knew it had to be one. Once freed, Xena picked Ororo up and carried her to a nearby grassy patch. She moved back and allowed Gabrielle to work on 'Ro.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Wolverine's mouth fell open. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOIN' HERE?!" he asked. Didymus, he seemed to recall was the dog's name. "Shouldn't you be with your King?" He continued to claw at the hole that he was now making, digging the thing's eyes out. The monster thrashed and roared out its pain but was not able to grab hold of Wolverine.

Despite the fact that he knew the arms had been flailing and trying to catch them, Wolverine had not been caught by any of them. Had Didymus been cutting the arms off? Wolverine glanced at the pigsticker that Didymus was holding and then at what was left of the arms. Ain't no way, he told himself, that that dog cut the thing's arms off! He looked around but did not see Elizabeth. Will must still be underwater, he thought, and Elizabeth, fer once, showed some sense an' left.

"I know not where my King is," Didymus called, "but thou needest help and I shall help!" He continued to beat at the arms that were trying to reach Wolverine.

Elizabeth swam through the now-murky water that was quickly filling with blood, flesh, and other pieces of the monster. She kept her eyes open both for Will and any signs of an attack coming her way as she swam. It was only after she ducked underneath the monster's thrashing form that she finally caught sight of Will. She paused in surprise as she watched him fighting. She had oft thought many things of Will, but never once before had she thought of him as looking grotesque. Now, however, as he was drenched in blood and other things that Elizabeth dared not look any closer at, she couldn't help thinking that she had never seen a Pirate look worse.

Still, she was proud of him, but fear caught in her heart as she saw him start to drift downwards. She watched as Will shook himself forcibly, kicked back upward, and resumed cutting the screaming beast. She swam over to him, caught his attention, glared demandingly at him, and pointed upwards. Will shook his head. Elizabeth shoved him, took his place, and went to cutting into the belly of the monster herself. Blood and guts immediately rained down upon her, but she continued.

Will watched Elizabeth for a moment and again felt his brain growing dim. He shook himself. He hated it, but he had to surface. He was running out of air, and if he didn't get some soon, he'd drown and then he'd be of no use to his beloved Jack! He turned and began swimming upwards.

* * *

**Somewhere**

"Adrienne! Why have you done this?! What do you want?!"

"Oh, do relax, Emma, dear. This is for your own good," the brunette feigned empathy and concern. "I know what's happened, and I've got to help you return to your senses."

"Return to my senses?! What nonsense are you babbling about _this_ time?!" She renewed her struggles. "Release me from here, Adrienne, or I swear I'll fry your brain!"

Adrienne tisked at her. "You know Mother would not approve."

"Mother's dead!"

"Quite," Adrienne inclined her head in a nod. "Like Sean."

Emma's eyes widened. "So that's what this is about? Sean's alive, Adrienne! I can't help it if you've never been able to keep a man and are jealous of my relationship!"

"I've never been jealous of you, Emma. It's always been the reverse. We can admit it now. We're both grown. _You've_ always been jealous of _me_."

"Like Hell I have!" Emma snapped.

"_I'm_ not the one who sold my body to man after man."

"I did it to survive!"

"_I'm_ not the one who sided with Evil. Oh, I know," she continued, cutting Emma off. "You did that to survive too."

"I've done what I have to in order to survive, Adrienne. Unlike you, Mother and Father did not leave me anything when they passed. I didn't have the world delivered to me on a silver platter. I had to _work_ for a living, and I did what I had to. I've never been ashamed of that."

"Bold, brave lies," Adrienne spoke, crooning at first and then speaking harshly and boldly, "but we'll see how long they last." She pulled a switch that Emma had not noticed before, and the table Emma was laying upon stood on end. She hovered over a huge hole in the floor. Then Adrienne snapped her fingers, and Emma's bindings released at once. She started to fall again . . .

* * *

**The North Pole**

After Clark had flown ahead to investigate the noises of battle he, Cole, and Eddie had overheard, Cole had continued on walking in the direction that Clark had flown. He led the way, ever alert to any possible dangers. Without a word, he and Prue were trying to keep Phoebe and Eddie in the midst of their group. He glanced back to where Prue brought up the rear of the line and could see that her ever-watchful eyes were constantly roaming around, alert to any possible dangers as well. He did not know what lay ahead but knew that Clark could take care of it a lot better than he could. The boy was constantly coming up with new powers that surprised and spooked Clark as well as every one around. He knew that his energy balls were no match for Clark's firepower and was glad that Clark had taken it upon himself to go ahead.

Once again, Eddie surged ahead of Cole, and Cole looked down at the little fella. "Back up, Eddie. Go a little slower. You need to keep an eye on Phoebe and make sure she stays out of trouble," he whispered conspiratorially to the donkey. "It's best to keep her in the middle of the group for safety. We don't want anything to happen to her. Keep your eyes on the Book, and make sure no one steals it."

Eddie nodded and reluctantly slipped back to Phoebe. He picked up his pace back up beside her. He knew that if he left Phoebe to her own devices, she would land him in even more trouble than they already were. Trouble just seemed to follow Phoebe everywhere. He raged to himself, because he desperately wanted to reach his beloved. He tried to stay in pace with Phoebe, however, and did not speak a word out loud.

They continued to walk forward until they saw, up ahead, a group of animals bunched together. They had almost reached the bowed animals when a sudden burst of music higher-pitched than Cole had ever heard before struck his ears. Before he could do anything else, his nose started bleeding. He grabbed his ears and tried to drown out the horrendous noise, but it seemed to press on him like an anvil until he fell to his knees.

Eddie's eyes grew big in his face and then rolled backwards. He fell on his side, his hooves flailing the snow.

Prue looked startled at both Cole and Eddie while Phoebe rushed forward to check on Cole. Prue glanced at the animals that were up ahead and they, too, were having the same reaction. She could hear something making a horrible noise, but it did not have the same effect on her. "Who could be making that Gods-awful noise?!" she thought aloud even as she rushed forward to check on Eddie. "What is it, Eddie?" she tried to talk to the brave, little donkey, but blood was pouring from his eyes. He was still twitching as though he had been poisoned.

Then the noise grew even louder. Eddie closed his eyes in pain but still tried to talk to Prue. "It's Lorne, and he must be attacking Frostbite!"

Prue searched frantically through one of the packs until she found the first aid kid. She pulled out a heavy roll of gauze. "This might hurt some, Eddie," she told him, "but it might also help to cut out some of the sound. I'm going to wrap this around your ears and your head, and it will help to cushion the sound." She looked worriedly over at Phoebe and Cole, wondering if they should do the same thing to his ears.

Phoebe had not tried to talk to Cole, because she had known he wouldn't be able to hear her and, if he lowered his hands enough that he could hear her, he would be caused even more pain. Instead, she had placed her hands over Cole's, helping him as best she could to shield his ears from the awful racket Lorne was putting out, and looked over to Prue for help. Now she met her oldest sister's gaze. "Do you think we could use that stuff to stuff Cole's ears? We can't exactly tie his down."

Prue looked at Phoebe. "I don't know if we can use the gauze or not, but there might be something else in the pack." As soon as she was through wrapping Donkey's ears, he was able to sit up and then get shakily to his hooves. Prue did not think that the gauze would work on Cole's ears and began to rummage through the bag, hoping that she would find something that they could stuff in Cole's ears.

Phoebe watched her sister rummaging. Things were falling out of the pack as Prue rummaged, and Phoebe realized that she must be nearing the end of the pack and still had not found anything. She began to look around and consider what might help. There had been some nights back home when she had been unable to sleep for various noises, like her sisters' snoring or moaning when sick, and she had, at last, began stuffing cotton into her ears. It had taken quite a bit of cotton to block out the sounds, but it had eventually worked. There was no cotton in the pack, though; they would have had no use for it. At least, they wouldn't have as far as she could imagine. She looked down at her own clothes. "Prue," she called, "I've got an idea."

Prue looked questioningly at her sister. "Something in the Book?" she asked.

Phoebe hadn't even considered the Book that she was keeping tightly pinned between her arm and side. "No. At least, not that I know of. There might be a spell in there to block out sounds, but it might make him deaf. We don't want that; we just want to block Lorne's mouth. Bring me the scissors and cover Cole's ears."

Prue grabbed the scissors and handed them to Phoebe. She watched to see if she could be of help and wondered why she had not thought of their clothing as she watched Phoebe cut up a piece of petticoat. Prue's hands had replaced Phoebe's hands on Cole's ears while Phoebe was working.

Cole kept trying to determine what the girls were up to, hoping that it would give him relief. His ears had never caused him such pain before, and he did not even realize that he was bleeding from his ears. Despite his pain, his heart was crying out, wishing that it could help Lorne to destroy their enemy.

Phoebe worked quickly, but her progress was slow for she had trouble holding the scissors as her hands were sticky with Cole's blood. She was worried about him, and her mind kept running in circles. If Cole didn't make it back from this, Piper would kill her, and she couldn't blame her. After all, if their roles were reversed and Piper let Joxxy down when he was in dire need, she'd kick Piper's butt to the moon and back. Finally, she managed to get a large piece of petticoat, slipped the scissors into her pocket, and balled up the piece of cloth. As soon as Prue removed her hand, Phoebe stuck the makeshift ball of cotton into one of Cole's ears and set to work on a second piece.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Great was Jareth's surprise as his fall was finally stopped by something hard instead of a smelly splash. He tentatively cracked first his blue eye and then his green eye open and looked slowly around. He smiled as he realized that Teak and he had not fallen into the Bog, after all, but had somehow managed to land in an oubliette. His own voice as he explained to Hoggle that an oubliette was a place he put people to forget about them echoed through his head, but still he smiled. He'd rather be in an oubliette than the Bog any day or night!

He had no idea which of the million oubliettes they were in, but it really didn't matter. There was only one way out regardless: Hoggle had to come, bring the door, and open it. "Might as well make yourself to home," Jareth commented rather boredly to Teak as he sank down to sit on the floor. He grimaced as the seat of his pants touched the filthy floor and made a note to himself to get Trely to clean the oubliettes on, at least, a rare occasion if things ever got back to what passed for normal in their lives.

Teak looked at Jareth puzzedly. His master seemed rather calm about the whole situation, so there must not be any real need to worry. Jareth's next words sent him into a dead panic, however.

"We're stuck here until Hogwart comes to get us."

Teak began to howl all over again; each howl was louder and shriller than the last. "WE'LL NEVER GET OUT, MASTER! HOGGLE IS DEAD!"

"What?" Jareth asked in surprise.

"HOGGLE DEAD!" Teak repeated, long tears dripping off of his even longer nose.

"What killed him?" Jareth questioned.

Teak blushed and looked at the floor as he slowly kicked a dustball with one foot. "Hoggle was . . . peeing off ship, and they shot him."

Jareth looked into Teak's eyes. "They shot him for pissing? I warned him about that!" he exclaimed, sounding as though he was greatly annoyed or perhaps even angry with Hoggle for taking his last pee. "He never could do it at the right time or the right place!" Then his eyes grew sad, and his voice broke with compassion. "Poor little Hogwart! I'll miss him!"

"More than that, Master," Teak reminded him with a loud, sucking sniff, "Jareth and Teak stuck! Hoggle can not come get Jareth or Teak! Jareth and Teak stuck! Jareth and Teak die down here!"

As the realization sank in, Jareth added his wails to Teak's. "I'LL NEVER SEE DELVIRA AGAIN! DAMN IT, HOGWART! WHY, JUST ONCE, COULD YOU NOT PISS AT THE RIGHT TIME?!" he roared at the air.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Magnus was running for something even greater than his life when he heard women's voices up ahead. He was about to run straight out into their midst when he caught a glimpse of something white hanging down and scaling the ground behind a burly, barely-clad woman. The shade of white, its long length, and its texture combined to remind him of something he'd often seen in his dreams. Despite the Dementors rushing up at him from behind, he paused to look closer and saw his little brother being carried over the woman's shoulder. He knew that Joseph was not there by choice, and a closer look at the group of women had him thinking that, as there was no other men in their group, they must be Amazons.

His mind raced, and he cursed silently. Joseph was in trouble! He needed him, but there were Dementors hot on his trail! They would be upon him any second!

Turning around, Magnus raised his wand even higher, closed his eyes so that he would not be looking at the Dementors, and began to conjure memories in his mind. He remembered finding Joseph again and seeing that he was alive, well, happy, and in love. He recalled Joseph accepting him, being glad at their reunion, and embracing him joyously once he'd had his memories returned.

He ran back several centuries in his head and called up memories of his young childhood. He saw his parents again. They were smiling and laughing, and he and Joseph sat in their midst, enjoying their hugs, kisses, and love. Before his mind could flash to another memory, Magnus flung his eyes open and yelled out, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

However, before his patronus had even taken form, Magnus was already remembering what had led him here. His parents' deaths at the hands of the very sort of creatures that chased after him . . . All for doing what they believed in, saving the life of a friend . . . Magnus shook himself as the weak, silvery wisp escaped his wand. He turned back around and ran after Joseph, hoping that the patronus would at least provide a short distraction.

* * *

**A Forest**

Damn! They may be scared stupid, but they were still intelligent! She wished she could talk to them, somehow make them understand that she meant them no harm, but her thundering heart warned her that, in this one case, it would do no good. Perhaps the Council had them under some sort of spell? After what she'd learned that day, she would not be surprised at anything bad they might do. She had to back up. She had to think. She had to buy some time!

The fire was sizzling all around now. Kat backed slowly up, the remainder of her fire moving with her. The wolf behind her darted away, came in at a new angle, and resumed spraying. She backed up until she could feel the tree just outside her fire. She glanced up at a dangling branch that hung, she hoped, still within her reach. "I mean ye nae harm," she tried again to tell them.

"Yeah, right, bitch."

"Maybe you don't, maybe you do." One of them laughed. "But we ain't taking that chance."

Kat looked at them. Were they truly afraid, their leader just a little too brash? Dare she remove the fire, surrender herself to them? Could she afford to?

"We gonna get you," another growled determinedly. "We gonna get you and eat you!"

Despite her now-burning hatred of the Council, Kat realized that there was one Council member whose agreement to this trial she could not even begin to understand. "I am a friend o' Aslan's."

"Piss on Aslan!" the leader yipped.

That statement finished Kat's decision for her. She flipped up into the air just as the fire sizzled out. Several of the wolves snapped at her feet. One grabbed the heel of her boot just as her hands caught the branch. She shook her leg but would not kick him. "Let gi!"

He only growled more savagely and shook her, trying to pull her down. She clung to the branch, her hands and fingernails gripping the wood tightly. "Get her, boys!" the leader howled. Several of the pack leapt. Heads butted her legs, paws scratched at her pants, and fangs sank into her flesh. She refused to scream. She clawed at the branch, trying desperately to keep her grip, but they were pulling her down . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

From the inside of the Krakken, Jack had been fighting for all he was worth, but now he had grown extremely tired. His sword had not even penetrated the soft tissue muscle that seemed to be trying to squeeze the very life out of him. He was fighting a whole lot less now as even his brain seemed to be betraying him and trying to leave while something seemed to be paralyzing him at the same time.

He kept seeing Will's chocolate brown eyes, and they seemed to be fading. Try though he might, Jack could not reach him. He knew his last thoughts would be of Will. Maybe, if he died, he'd go to Will? That can't be right! he told his brain. Will's not dead! I saved him!

Then, another voice taunted him. But you can't save yourself, can you, Jack? It sounded awfully familiar, but he was losing it to the point that he couldn't recognize it. He passed out, still thinking of Will's eyes and never realizing who the voice belonged to.

* * *

**A Cavern**

Spike reached out to Kyna, and though fear showed in her almond eyes, she did not pull away. He gently cupped her face in his cold hand and stroked her satin skin with his thumb. He leaned in to kiss her but had barely began to dive into her rapturous ocean when, sensing a rush of movement, he had to pull away. His hand caught Sheng's fist. He held it and squeezed it forcibly, a low, guttural growl ushering forth from his dark lips. Even as he heard the beginning cracks of the other Vampire's hand, Spike reached towards his heart with the stake he'd taken from within his life mate's jacket.

Kyna had known when William had taken the stake but now, as he fought to break past their enemy's guard and drive the stake home, Kyna cried out. "No!" She ripped Sheng out of Spike's grasp and threw him into the rocky wall of the cavern.

For a moment, Spike couldn't see straight. Had Kyna done what he thought she had?! The blonde Vampire shook his head. She had! How dare she! How could she?! "What the Hell are you playing at?!" Spike hissed, his voice low and furious.

Inwardly, he was hurt, and if he'd be honest with himself, more than a bit scared. Had she turned on him?! Had this unliving, walking, _deceiving_ image of her dead husband, whose death she had blamed him for only about a zillion more times than he cared to recall, made her see him in an old light?! Did she, once again, think him evil and want him destroyed?! Was she about to attack him?! The icy cold of dreaded fear filled William. If she did, he could no more defend himself than he could kill her!

* * *

**Somewhere**

She didn't know she was crying; she wasn't even aware that her face was wet. She didn't know that she was yelling, or perhaps wailing would have been more apt a description for the utter heartbreak that screeched through the sound. Her life was falling apart around her in the form of four beings she loved more than any other. Her world was shattering as she failed her dearest brothers, the first two who had offered her a home, a family, the first two to fight so valiantly to break through all her barriers, the first two to dare to insist on trying to pierce her darkness with their glimmer of hope. She felt like she was dying with them, but yet she persisted in holding tightly to the arm of the man she loved and trying to grab the second most important being to her.

Salem was trying as frantically to grab hold of Faith as she was to him. His claws raked her skin. His teeth nipped at her fingers. Her fingers barely missed his tail, his waist, his head . . . Still, they tried as they fell, and then, finally, with the ground rushing up at them, Faith managed to get her free hand around Salem's middle. She gripped him tightly and snatched him to her.

Faith's mind whirled. There was nothing she could do to help Jack and Lex; her brothers were gone. The two men who were so largely responsible for keeping her going for so many years were practically dead, and there was nothing she could do to help them. She had the two she loved the most within her grasp now, but a look around told her that she had no chance of grabbing hold of anything to stop them. There was nothing there to help. Not a ledge, not a limb, nothing.

Perhaps she could cushion their falls? Save them with her own body? As if from a far distance, she heard Salem's yowling and Dawson's screams of protest as she tried to make her own body heavier. Her eyes met his. She couldn't hear what he was saying for the winds that rushed past them, but she saw the pleading in his eyes. She swallowed hard. She had to do this. There was no other way, no other hope of saving them . . .

Faith didn't know where she got the strength from, but somehow she managed to twist around until she was beneath Dawson and Salem both. She pulled them to her, turning her own back to the ground, and keeping Dawson's gaze. She could feel Salem's rapidly pounding heartbeat in her hand, and she held tightly to him even while hoping she didn't break any bones. If she did break a bone or two, she told herself, it was still far better than allowing him to be killed.

"Faith," Dawson's swiftly moving mouth caught her attention, "please -- You can't! There's gotta be another way!"

She smiled sadly up at him. Her sweet, innocent Dawson. Her endearing Kid. He always thought that life could be better, that there was hope even when there wasn't any. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Faith realized that Dawson's handsome face would be the last thing she ever saw, and she was glad for that though her heart ached with the impending loss of what they could have had, not that she'd ever deserved him or his love. "I LOVE YOU," she screamed but could not finish her words to them as her body slammed into the ground. Everything went immediately black . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	32. Chapter Thirtyone

**Chapter Thirty-one**

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Ignoring the concern over whatever the mirror was now showing, Dawson spoke up again and once more demanded to see Faith. The mirror's reflection shimmered and then revealed the sight of Faith falling. She had managed to grab his double and Salem and had somehow gotten herself beneath them. Dawson immediately knew what she intended -- to give her own life in trying to save theirs -- and screamed at her.

The real Dawson made a decision and jumped through Phillip. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but once they had, he looked up only to find the air empty. His panicked gaze instantly turned to the ground as his heart hammered in his ears. His eyes fell upon Faith, and his heart almost forgot to beat entirely before then picking back up at a pace even faster than his feet's running pace as he raced across the sand to his love.

Dawson fell on his knees beside Faith, and his trembling hands checked her for breathing. She was breathing shallowly but was unconscious. Even in the darkness, he could see some of the blood that poured from her prone body and noticed some of the odd angles that her bones were laying in.

What Dawson did not see were the bodies of his double or Salem. Remembering Jack and Lex, he leapt to his feet and ran to the edge of where he had seen them fall. He glanced up again and realized that it was forever to the ground. Looking at the ground, he still found no sign of Jack or Lex and so quickly returned to Faith's side.

How badly was his beloved hurt? A fall like she had taken could have killed anybody, but yet she still breathed . . . For how long? he wondered fearfully. He knelt beside her, his voice pleading with her to return to him. "Open your eyes, Faith. You're not dead. You saved us!"

Tears were falling down his face. He could not believe that his poor love was always getting hurt and constantly coming so close to death, and he vowed to find a way to keep her from suffering such once the trials were over. He would become a better Pirate so that he would be able to take better care of her, whether she wanted him to or not. His tears fell upon Faith's face.

* * *

**The Beach/Jack & Will's Bedroom**

As soon as Dawson had leapt through Phillip, Phillip had returned to showing his previous request. At first, Trina didn't see Andrew. All she saw was a family gathered around an old woman on a bed. Then, from the dark shadows at the head of the bed, a glowing light appeared. She leaned closer for a better look, and then a sob broke free from her mouth as Andrew appeared.

Carlos eyed the mirror, his blade still at the ready. There was Andrew, sure enough. He was alive and glowing! The Mexican's eyes widened. Could the nonsense he had told them last night actually be the truth?

* * *

**Somewhere**

The best part of Andrew's job was collecting the blessed souls that would be reunited with the Heavenly Father. He smiled at the old lady and held out his hand. He hated the grief her passing would bring to the family, but he never dwelled on it. He simply did what he was told and collected the souls that were ready or not so ready, as in some turbulent cases where he even had to fight with the unwilling soul to leave the body. He had one now that he was dealing with at the headquarters, and he did not know how it would turn out. They had been fighting with it for quite a while, but it was extremely reluctant to go and straining mightily to return to the Earth even though its body no longer existed.

The old lady's spirit took Andrew's hand and smiled. He paused just long enough for her spirit to look back at the frail, old body laying on the bed with her family gathered in grief. The spirit felt joyous despite the fact that it had had to pass to get in the state that it was now in. She could not remember ever being so light and carefree, and Andrew led her steadily onward and deposited her safely back at the gates of Heaven before returning to the headquarters.

He felt a presence growing ever closer, and he looked around but saw no one. There had been many who had tried to get in, but unless they were actually fetched, they could not gain Heaven.

He could hear the angry shouts of the being they were trying to get to pass. The closer he got, the louder the shouts became, and he knew that his Superiors were not having much more cooperation out of the being than he had had. He couldn't blame the being. After all, he himself had not wanted to return but would have liked to have continued being a Pirate and actually having the woman who he loved in his arms and by his side, but his time had run out and he had had to return.

He flew in, went to his desk, and began to fill out paperwork. How many did that make that day? he wondered and saw that there was quite a stack of folders on his desk. He would have to ask for some help later to catch up on the paperwork. There was just too much of it! Too many people had been dying lately, and for every one that passed, there was paperwork that had to be filled out! He did not try to get closer to the being who was giving so much trouble. He wished he could return it to its earthly dwelling.

It was then that the alarm sounded. Why were people fighting to get into Heaven? Andrew wanted to know. It had to be one of the more boring places in existence. How could they read a small, earthly-bound book written by men, reportedly written by God when he knew Zeus had never penned anything in His life, and take it to be the Gospel truth and that the streets of Heaven were lined with pure gold?! That was just another one of the many myths that were in "The Bible".

Andrew had never stopped to consider just how many myths were in there. He had once tried to read it all the way through, but the untruths were such that he could not wade through its muck. After all, who better than he to know the real truths? In the past, they had had everything from adventure seekers to just ordinary people who wanted to get in and had used spells cast by others to help them get in there! None had ever gotten past this point, and none ever would!

Andrew's robe reappeared so that he would look more official, and he prepared to meet the intruder . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Ace was getting tired and hungry. He and Spot had travelled for quite a time. He knew Spot was hungry. Off in the distance, he could see some trees, and for a brief moment, he thought he saw fire. "Maybe there's food over there?" he told Spot.

"Food," Spot grumbled, his gut rumbling loudly. Was the hairless monkey about to let him get something to eat? He was beginning to wonder about him. Did he not ever eat?

The closer they came, the more snaps and snarls they heard. Something was definitely about to have dinner! From high off the ground, Ace looked down. He could see wolves running all around, and then his heart stood still in his mouth for they had his Kat! They were pulling her down out of a tree!

"Spot, I want that hairless monkey!" Ace told the huge T. Rex. "If you have to fight those hairy beasties, use your tail and knock them into the trees! As soon as we rescue the monkey, we'll go get food!"

This was a game that Spot could understand! He liked it! He raced forward, growling, looking for the nearest hairy beast. Why wouldn't the monkey let him eat it?! It looked good! Why, he could eat it in one bite, but he owed it to the monkey to obey him for the present time! After all, the monkey had saved him, and if the monkey wanted the other monkey to eat, maybe he'd throw him a few bones? Spot made contact with the nearest wolf and slammed his tail into him, knocking him against a nearby tree and knocking him out cold.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Despite the wild thrashing of the beast, Wolverine clung determinedly to the hole that he had been digging ever wider. He saw Will surface and gasp for air even as it dawned upon him that he could dig forever and still not get Jack out of the brain of the damned creature! He immediately jumped back into the water and began cutting on the side closest to him. Where was the damn thing's gut any how?! He knew Jack had to be in there by now! The water was so churned up with blood that he couldn't get a clear shot, but he kept digging determinedly any how. When he glanced back at Will, the boy had gone under again.

Didymus was now alone on top of the monster, but he was not afraid, he told himself. After all, a brave, stalwart Knight such as himself feared nothing. "HAVE AT THEE!" he yelled as an arm tried to reach him and cut at the beast's tentacle with his small sword.

Wolverine couldn't help wanting laugh at the determination of the little guy. If even half the Pirates had that much strength and guts, they would be an unstoppable force! They could take over the damn Council and make them pay! The thought curled up warmly inside his insides and began to rest in his already-hardened heart.

He'd make them pay for what they had done to his family, and Gods forbid, but if Jack died, the Pirates would have a just reason for attack! An eye for an eye, Wolverine had always believed, but this was getting ridiculous! His woman was in a fucking plant, and his son was in the belly of this damn thing! One thing at a time, he reminded himself. First I get Jack out, an' then I'm goin' for 'Ro! An' if that damn mirror tries to stop me, I'm gonna bust its glass out!

Elizabeth felt something touch her shoulder and whirled around. Her blade stopped a mere inch from cutting into Will, and she glared at him, her eyes questioning his intelligence. Will pointed at her and then jerked his thumb up toward the water. She nodded, not foolish enough to argue with him on a point she knew was valid, and left him to continue with the monster. As she passed upward, she saw Wolverine and swam closer.

This time, Wolverine saw Elizabeth bob up. What the Hell was the woman doing still in the water?! She would never take any one's advice! Hard-headed bitch! He had to grin to himself. Every time he opened his mouth, he got another pile of water in it, and the blood tasted awful, bitter, and gross. He had tasted some awful things before in his life, but this had to be the worst!

How much longer before they got Jack? Wolverine decided to go further underneath and see if he could get any bigger holes below. He barely missed getting sliced by Will's sword! He added his own claws to digging the hole in the thing. At last, he had the right area as he could see some guts and excrement trailing out!

Elizabeth took another large gasp of air and dove back underneath. She looked around for Wolverine but didn't see him anywhere. She shook her head. Why was the man wasting time with the other areas of the monster? Sure, it would weaken and distract the beast, but Jack was in the stomach and probably had very little time left!

Holding tightly to her sword, Elizabeth swam back towards Will. As she approached him this time, she saw movement beside him. She peered closer and recognized Wolverine's form. It was about time! She swam in next to the two men and resumed slicing the beast's gut.

* * *

**Kents' Farm**

It did not take Lex long, once he began to stir in his sleep, to realize that the lips he felt were not merely those of the Clark in his dream but the real thing. His blue eyes fluttered open, and he found himself gazing into Clark's baby blues. His lover was gazing lovingly down into his eyes as he kissed him passionately, and the silver light of the full moon surrounded Clark like a glowing halo. His hands stroked Lex's face tenderly.

Lex reached up to Clark, and Clark did not disappear. He put his hands on his muscular shoulders, and he could feel their movement as they rose and fell underneath his hands. His hands roamed Clark's body, and he felt every inch of it. This was truly the real thing, no daydream, no illusion, but his beloved Clark, who had snuck out of the house and come to cheer him up!

Talk could come later. Later, Lex could find out how Clark had come to be here, and they could figure out together why he was here in the first place when he should have been back home. For now, though, Lex allowed himself to get lost in his lover's touch and the heated passion that sang between them . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Hansel had only lowered his sword when he'd seen Faith fall. He had never realized when Chong had lowered his or had looked at him worriedly. All he had been able to see was Faith falling to her death. When he had seen Dawson jump through the mirror to go to her, he had started to follow but had stopped when the mirror's image had changed. "Go back to Faith, you damn fool!"

"Stay on Andrew!" an unseen, female voice had sobbed.

"FAITH!" Hansel had roared.

"You will simply have to wait," Phillip had coldly informed the blonde man. Hansel had threateningly tapped the mirror with his sword. "Keep your blade to yourself or I'll never show the girl again." It had seemed to Hansel that the mirror had shown the damned Angel or whatever it was forever, but once Faith and the boy who was undoubtedly her latest conquest showed again, Hansel leapt swiftly. Never once had he given a single thought to his naked state.

Chong saw Hansel disappear into the mirror. Holding the sword aloft, he jumped also. He had been naked for so long that it felt like a natural, comfortable state. He was ready for anything except the fact of seeing Faith laying so still on the ground. Was the girl dead? Dawson was bent over her, trying to revive her, and did not look up at their entrance but continued to plead with Faith, telling her how much he loved her and asking her to please open her eyes.

Hansel knelt on Faith's other side but didn't reach out to her. He wondered just exactly who Dawson was, how Faith had come to mean so much to him (he was acting as though he loved her and hadn't he vowed to them on his love for Faith that he was truly who he appeared to be?), and whether or not Faith cared as deeply for him in return. Hansel looked down at Faith in deep concern. "C'mon, little bitchy, wake up. You've been through worse. I know you have." His words sounded more confident than he felt.

Chong tried to assess the situation from the standing position but found that he could not without actually laying his hands upon Faith. "Move, Hansel," he said as he knelt beside him. "I need to check her out. I pray that she has broken nothing in the fall, but unless I actually touch her, I will not be able to tell."

His skilled hands began checking her body out slowly. A grave look came upon Chong's face. "We had best not move her until we can get a healer here. Those idiots seem to have wanted your Faith to die." He looked upward at the fall from the ledge from where Faith had fallen. He then glanced around, taking in their surroundings and realizing that there were no other bodies around. "The others must have been an illusion. There are no other bodies here."

Dawson looked at Chong. "It's a miracle she's alive! I hate the sick bastards who did this to her! If I could get my hands on them, I'd kill them! Did they intend for her to die?" he asked aloud, knowing he wouldn't get an answer.

"Who are they?" Hansel questioned. He craved to get his hands on whoever had done this to Faith and kill them slowly. "_Where_ are we?"

"Who they are," Dawson told the both of them, "is the damn Council! Where they are, I have no idea! If I did, I wouldn't be kneeling here, trying to wake up my darling! I'd be slicing and dicing," he said in a stiff, angry voice that didn't sound like himself at all. "The sick bastards wanted her to die, probably because she defeated the Spellmens so easily!"

"Phillip," Dawson called, "which of our healers are available? We can not move Faith until she is healed or we risk her life!"

* * *

**The Beach/Jack & Will's Bedroom**

The sight of Andrew had brought tears streaming from Trina's face, and when he had disappeared behind the Golden Gates and the image had returned to Faith, she had yelled at the mirror. "SHOW ME HIM AGAIN!"

"I can not," Phillip told her reluctantly. He prided himself on being hard, but tears, especially those of a woman or an enchanting man's, always managed to tear at the heart he supposedly no longer had.

"Please," Trina pleaded with him, her hand touching his surface, "let me see him! Just one more time!"

"I can not show you any of what is past those gates, milady. I'm sorry." His voice broke. "Please stop crying before you get me to start too."

Carlos' heart was breaking as he listened mutely to their conversation, his sword finally having lowered. He had forgotten all about the others in the room as his heart ached. Trina would never love him. She loved Andrew, and evidently, he was far better for her than he could ever be. After all, Andrew was an Angel, and he was but a mere mortal man with many troubles. He sighed deeply.

"Then . . . can I . . . " Trina's mind whirled. She hadn't thought she was ready to face Andrew. In fact, she knew she wasn't, but she had to see him again. She had to touch him, if she could . . . She had to know why in the Hell he hadn't told her the truth and warned her that their time might be limited! "Let me through," she stated. "Let me through, and when he finally comes out of there again, I'll be ready and be waiting for him."

"I . . . " Phillip paused. He knew he should not, but the broken hearts he felt from Trina and Carlos both were ripping him apart inside. If he had had a physical head, he would have hung it. "All right," he announced at last, returning his reflection to showing the Golden Gates.

Trina jumped before Phillip could change his mind. Carlos snorted. He never would have thought that he'd go to Heaven while still alive, but he had to follow Trina. He leapt, sword still in hand.

* * *

**Somewhere**

When he reappeared this time, Kurt found himself in a long, cool building with low ceilings. He turned around slowly as he took in the sight of the room. It was beautifully decorated, and he thought he might have been here before. But where was here? He continued to look around, spotting an altar and noting that the room held numerous religious statues and crosses, each lovelier than the last.

He smiled and sighed with relief. He was in a church, a sanctuary! He was safe! There should even be people there to help him! Spying a light, he began to walk toward it. As he neared the light, he could hear voices raised in a joyous song that lifted up the Lord and spoke to his heart. He was already humming along with the singers before he stepped into the room. Upon entering, he could see that it was a room full of Priests. He was truly safe at long last!

Kurt smiled and started to speak to explain to the Priests that he was one of them and tell them how he had come to arrive there when he noticed that they had all stopped singing and were now glaring at him with hatred burning in their eyes and angry looks upon their faces. He had seen such fury and hatred before. His smile vanished. He tried not to panic. He opened his mouth but was cut off by angry yells from all around.

"DEMON!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"TRAITOR! YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN THE LORD'S HOUSE!"

"YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS HERE, YOU FOUL, LOATHSOME BEING!"

"LEAVE OUR CHURCH! LEAVE THE LORD'S BUILDING AND HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS ALONE!"

Kurt was stunned. They were attacking him, not helping him! Why?! Was it because he looked like a Demon? "Mein brothers," he called out to them, spreading his arms wide and opening his hands with palms facing upwards, "I come in peace! I may look like zis, but mein heart belongs to ze Lord!"

"LIES! ALL LIES!"

"THOU SHALT NOT LIE IN OUR HOLY FATHER'S HOUSE!"

"SILENCE HIS MOUTH!"

"But zey are not lies! I speak ze truth!" Kurt dropped his hands and started to back up as the angry Priests began to crowd around him.

"YOU LIE! YOU FOLLOW ONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A GODDESS, BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE GOD!"

"YOU HAVE DENOUNCED YOUR PRIESTHOOD IN FAVOR OF A _WOMAN_ WHO CLAIMS TO BE A GOD AND ANOTHER WOMAN WHO IS A WICKED PIRATESS! EVIL, EVIL WITCHES, THEY BOTH ARE, IN LEAGUE WITH THE DEVIL HIMSELF, AND AS YOU HAVE DENOUNCED THE CLOTH AND JOINED THESE TWO, YOU, TOO, ARE EVIL!"

It was only then that Kurt realized that somehow these Priests knew that he no longer worshipped their God but worshipped Aphrodite. He was one of Aphrodite's Priests, Pagan, not of their kind, after all! His eyes looked wildly around for a door, but he did not see one.

"WE MUST SEND HIM OUT, BRETHERN!"

"YES! WE MUST TAKE THIS DEMON OUT BEFORE HE CAN HARM OTHERS!"

"IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD AND HIS HOLY SON, WE MUST SEND THIS DEMON BACK TO HIS TRUE FATHER, LUCIFER, BEFORE HE CAN HARM EVEN MORE OF OUR LORD'S PEOPLE!"

Kurt really did not want to bamf into the unknown again, but as the Priests were now rushing forward, their arms flailing wildly in their attempts to attack him, he knew he had no choice yet again but to do just that. Even as one grew close enough to reach him and slapped him, Kurt bamfed, his face stinging from the slap and his heart and soul from their rejection.

* * *

**A Forest**

Kat had already been in one heck of a fix and being stupid enough to think that things could get no worse when the ground shook. While still desperately clambering and clawing in her attempt to stay on the branch, the Irish woman looked out ahead, and her mouth fell open as she saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex heading straight her way! A Gaelic cuss exploded from her lips even as she began trying to raise a hand off of the limb.

No sooner had Kat's hand risen off of the limb than another wolf grabbed her legs. This time, the wolf almost succeeded in bringing her down, and she was forced to grasp the limb again with both hands. The T. Rex was upon them already, and as his tail slammed into a nearby wolf, Kat raked her brain for some way to help the poor animals and keep from getting eaten by either party herself!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Joseph had awakened to the sound of his brother's yell. His bleary eyes were just beginning to focus when he saw Magnus jumping through the brushery. Joseph's brow creased as he studied Erik's hurried behavior and paled face. He was acting as though his trousers were full of ants, and Joseph instinctively knew that there was much more than these accursed Amazons bothering him. The women were even now turning round to face the man who was screaming at them to put him down.

"You're going to get it now!" he called to them. "I tried to tell you I wasn't interested! There," he lied, "is the reason why! I am not at all interested in women!" He was glad Rogue could not hear his lies.

"We don't care if you have a man," one of the women snapped at him. "We just want your seed!"

"His salmon does not run upstream," Magnus told them, "so why don't you just hand him over and no one will get hurt?" He sounded much braver than he felt.

"Is that true?"

"Quite," Joseph agreed for the first time.

"Well, then, I suppose you are useless, but he's not."

"Look at him, Miranda! He's too old to be of any use!"

"Maybe, but we could still try."

"Why waste time having to be plugged by that thing when we can find other males? I still say we should return to the centaurs."

"Those beasts were getting too involved the last time! Need I remind you that that _horse_ wanted to raise Justine's son himself?! Or that Aribelle's also wanted a say in the matter?!"

"Enough bickering, you two! We'll just take the both, and those who want can try them out!"

"Why are his hands glowing?" one of the blondes asked.

"BECAUSE, YOU INSOLENT WENCHES, YOU ARE NOT TAKING JOSEPH!" Obeying the directions that he gave them, every piece of metal, weapon and otherwise, left the woman it was on and pointed straight at the hearts of the one he had devised was their leader and the one who carried Joseph. "NOW RELEASE HIM OR MEET MY WRATH!" The chilling coldness was approaching again, and the Dementors would not be long in coming. He could feel their approach in the pit of his stomach. A beefy arm suddenly wrapped around Magnus' throat.

* * *

**A Cavern**

Kyna's heart ached as she read all the frantic emotions in her love's eyes. "No," she told him, laying a gentle hand on his frigid cheek, "I do not doubt you, my love, and I know you are you. No other could ever kiss me the way you do, or ignite the feelings in me you do with the briefest of touches." Her loving eyes hardened. "But I must do this myself."

Relief washed over him, but fear remained, changing to a new concern instead. He snarled, "Just because the bloody Council -- "

"It is not the Council that causes me to make this decision, my sweet. I must do this," she repeated, trying, and failing, to fight down her own fear.

"You can't -- " His dark eyes, filled with concern for her, the woman he loved more than the afterlife or even unlife, pleaded with her. "Let me kill him for you."

"I can not."

"Kyna, if you kill him, you'll hate yourself! He's not your husband, but he still wears his image!"

"I may hate myself," she admitted gravely to the sneering, hooting calls of certain Council members, "but if you kill him, I may end up hating you, and I refuse to take that risk, my beloved." Several members nodded their heads at that, staring and glaring defiantly at those who now scowled, sneered, and snorted.

Her words chilled his heart, but he understood.

* * *

**Somewhere**

As Rogue approached the light, she saw two people who she didn't think she would ever see there. "Trina?!" she called out. "Carlos?!" She slowly descended to stand, gazing at her two friends. "What are you doing here?"

"Carlos?!" Trina whirled and spotted the other man who plagued her heart. Her mouth dropped open, but she quickly shut it. "What are you doing here?!"

Carlos forced himself to remain calm as he looked at Trina. She seemed even more beautiful here, with Heaven's golden light cascading down upon her. "I couldn't let you come alone."

Trina glared at him, her blue eyes cutting through him. "You heard me."

He nodded.

"What about Trent?" she questioned, looking around as though she expected him to drop out of the sky at any moment. "Is he coming too?"

Carlos shrugged. "I imagine it depends on whether or not he reaches the mirror in time." He then looked at Rogue. "I know why she's here and how I got here, but why are you here?!"

"Ah'm not sure. Ah asked Phillip ta send me ta Joseph. Ah have no clue as to where here is or why Ah was sent here." She kept looking around. There were three sides of darkness and one of golden light. "Where is here?" The sound of ringing bells was so loud that it was hard for her to hear the other two talk.

Carlos could hear the rushing of something, but he wasn't sure what it was. He retightened his grip on the sword he wielded. He didn't know what good a sword would do against Angels, but if they tried to harm Trina, himself, or Rogue, he would do whatever he could. He brought his sword to the ready even as he shook his head at Rogue. "You'd never believe me."

Trina, too, was looking around, but her eyes continued to return to the massive door that blocked their pathway. Andrew had gone past this door. She knew he had for she had seen him. But she didn't need two others, or even one, with her when she confronted him. "Phillip, can you hear me?" There was no answer. She tried again. "Think you could take these two back?"

"I'm not leaving you," Carlos told her, glancing at her anxious face. "You can talk to him. I'll even give you privacy, if possible. But I'm not leaving you here!"

Rogue looked at both of her friends' disturbed faces. The anger shot forth from Carlos' face. "Ah asked you where we are! At least tell me what we're up against before they get here!" She could now hear the sound of wings, many wings. Was it birds?

Carlos sighed as he glanced again at Rogue. He knew she'd never believe him, but he also knew that she wasn't about to stop asking. "Heaven."

* * *

**Somewhere**

Autolycus looked at Joxer. "Who do we have available? Brendan's locked in chains. I'd like to be able to have a sneak peek on the cats; it must be a wonderful experience!"

Joxer thought a minute and scratched his head. "Xena and Gabby went through already. Crys is at the North Pole. That doesn't leave anybody but Sam. Where is Sam?"

"Sam!" Autolycus called out loud. "How do we get in contact with him? Where are the Halliwells?" He got to thinking. "The only Halliwell who's still here is Paige. The rest have gone through to rescue people."

"SAM!" Joxer started calling his name.

"SAM!" they called together.

* * *

**Kents' Farm**

Lex soon found himself on top of Clark, his knees in the hay on either side of his lover. They were still kissing with ever-growing passion, and their hands brushed against one another as they worked together to loosen Clark's pants. Pushing first his trousers and then his underwear down, Lex brought Clark's eager stallion out of the gate with gentle hands. He left Clark's lips to kiss his sword with a promise of things to come soon. Clark's sigh of pleasure was music to Lex's ears, but as he felt him tugging on his pants, Lex returned his mouth to Clark's and began to help him to get his own pants off.

They were just beginning to unbutton Lex's pants when the quietness around them was exploded by furious shouts. The screams were combined with the running of feet, but before Lex could even begin to think of a way to cover Clark and himself before his parents could find them, Jonathan and Martha were in the hayloft with them! Lex looked at Clark. He expected to find fear in his beloved's face but was shocked to see his face paled, his body trembling, and tears running down his cheeks!

As Lex stared at Clark, the assurance that everything would be all right poised on the tip of his tongue, something slammed into the back of his head. He fell across Clark, whose trembling he could feel even more now. He tried to get back up but was immediately hit again. He cried out in pain as Jonathan beat him with a two-by-four and Martha struck him with a broom. Both were hitting him non-stop, and the blows from Jonathan felt as though they were meant not just to hurt him, stun him, or even knock him unconscious but to actually _kill_ him!

Now their yells became clear. "GET AWAY FROM OUR SON!" The names they called him, ranging from "bald jerk" through "damn Luthor" to "sick bastard", assaulted his ears. "GET OFF OF OUR SON!" "GET OFF OF OUR SON!" "I'LL KILL YOU WHERE YOU LAY!" "HOW DARE YOU!" "HOW COULD YOU RAPE MY CHILD?!" "I'LL SEND YOU TO HELL, WHERE BOTH YOU AND YOUR FATHER BELONG!" All these yells and more thundered down upon Lex. His mind whirled. He could hear Clark crying and realized that his own face was wet.

He did not want to leave Clark, but he had to move or Jonathan would do just as he threatened and kill him where he lay, right there on his beloved Clark! Lex finally managed to get away from the pair of them and half-ran, half-stumbled across the hayloft. His hands blindly groped until they fell across the pitchfork he'd noted earlier. He grabbed it and used it to keep them at bay.

Clark was sobbing openly now, and Lex wanted to yell at him to help him but could not find his voice. He knew that these were his beloved's parents, but what had happened to Clark's declaration that he would tell them how they felt? Why was he not now doing so? Why was he letting them attack him so?! He peered out at all three of the Kents from the blood and tears that ran in his eyes, his heart beating deafeningly in his ears and feeling as though it might well shatter into a million pieces at any time . . . Why was Clark not helping him?! A sob broke from Lex even as he blocked the blow of Martha's broom with the pitchfork.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Lorne continued his song, a part of his brain remaining on praying to Aphrodite and any other Gods that were listening, hoping that They would help. He reached deep down within, took the last bit of strength that he had, and sent it forth in his song, growing even louder as the combined fireballs burst into Frostbite. Suddenly his voice was no more, and he fell to the snow, his eyes and nose bleeding. He clutched at his throat, knowing that, even if he could never get a note out of it again, it would all be worth the cost if it had only done Frostbite in.

Once the sound had stopped, Angel got shakily to his feet and looked toward Frostbite. He ignored the bleeding from his ears, walked over, reached out, and placed a hand on Lorne's shoulder. Lorne, whom he had thought had no power at all to fight, had just done an incredible thing! He prayed that it was worth the cost he knew Lorne had paid.

Cordelia had fallen to her knees behind Lorne, but her eyes had stayed on Frostbite. She had seen the song shattering ice throughout the evil Elemental's body, the ice from Jack (at least she presumed it was Jack) ripping into weakened ice in his other areas, and the fire blast into his chest. As Frostbite howled and screamed in pain and Lorne's song came to an abrupt end, Cordelia turned to check on Crystal. Her ears were hurting. Her head ached so badly she could scarcely think, but when she saw the blonde, she knew she had to act.

Unable to get to her feet yet, the Princess crawled over the snow to her adopted sister and placed her hands on her ice-covered shoulders. "Crystal Frost, open your eyes!" She shook her, the cold her hands touched spreading quickly through the rest of her body. "Open your eyes! You will not have allowed them all to risk everything just so that you can die! I know you're stronger than that! I know you are! Open your eyes," she demanded, using an angry tone as she thought that might work best, "and look at Lorne! Look at him!"

Delvira sent a third fireball hurtling towards Frostbite and then fell to her knees. She turned her head and looked, through her blood-filled vision, toward the others. Angel was moving, she noted, and Cordelia was talking to Crystal. She couldn't hear what they were saying, though, and looked back up toward Frostbite. She smiled weakly as she saw that he was seeping away into the darkness and still screaming with pain.

Crystal's blue lips parted in a gasp. "L-Lorne . . . Wh-What? Is he -- ?"

"He's alive," Cordelia told her, "but only barely. Open your eyes!"

She heard quick movements through the snow and looked up to see Cindy and Elvira loping swiftly towards them. Both animals reached their mistress at the same time, and Cordy moved to the blonde's head to give them room. Their tongues licked Crystal's ice, their voices rising in anxious growls, whimpers, and whines.

Blue was cooing fiercely, but it still took him a couple of minutes before he was able to break through the hold the man who had arrived in the last seconds of the battle had on him. As soon as he finally broke free, he screeched and soared toward Lorne. He could see the light of the blue crystal and knew that it could save Crystal.

"It's okay, Blue!" Jack told the dragon.

Cordelia looked up, surprised to hear the Elemental's voice beside her. She had not even heard him approach. Jack took off his own necklace as he knelt beside Crystal and dropped it over her neck. The snowflake crystal began to glow immediately. He prayed it was not too late and took Crystal's ability to talk as a good, albeit not sure, sign.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Piper watched through the tears that filled her eyes as Gabrielle worked on Ororo. She ached to help but did not know how she could except by staying out of the healer's way.

Gabrielle kept her eyes on Ororo, but she could feel Xena's steadfast, guarding presence and knew that Piper was crying and felt helpless to aid in saving her godmother. As Gabby crushed some leaves together and applied them over the mixture of herbs she had already sprinkled into one of the open wounds from the plant's teeth, she called out to the younger woman. "Piper," the Witch was by her side in an instant, "hold these leaves to her wound until it stops bleeding." Piper's hands replaced Gabrielle's the second they lifted, and Gabby moved on to Ororo's next wound.

As she worked on Ororo, examining every inch of the Weather Witch's prone body, Gabrielle's mind flashed back to others she had seen with so many holes in their flesh and bones and so much blood covering their bodies. Had it really only been two days ago that Ororo and Piper had both lain dying after being attacked by Raptors? She shook her head but did not comment aloud. She had always loved adventure and excitement, but dangerous perils were starting to fill their lives even too much for her lately. Where was the occasional moment of peace and tranquility? Why did their people continue to be attacked and brought to the brink of death? At least, they had managed to save most of them so far, and for that, she could be thankful to the Gods, especially Aphrodite . . . She continued to work without stopping upon Ororo and prayed that her herbs would work to save the day yet again.

Xena watched Gabrielle work. She had always admired her abilities. In the back of her mind, a small nagging began. She had already been looking for her chakram and had not been able to locate it, and she knew that one of the sai that Gabby used had been taking. She wondered who had dared to rob them of their prized weapons, and she wished that they had them now. She had not the foggiest clue as to where they could have disappeared.

She also didn't like the fact that it seemed that their lives now were one continuous disaster after another. She feared that there would come a time something would arise that she would not be able to handle. She had never doubted herself before, but then she had always had her chakram. Without it, she felt naked. She moved forward, kneeled beside 'Ro's body, took some of the herbs Gabby had already fixed, and began to apply them to 'Ro, her mind ever alert except for that one nagging fear. She wondered if their enemy could be watching them now.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sam had been resting and had finally fallen into a jerky sleep, one where he could hear if he was being called. The third time he heard his name called, Sam opened his eyes. He had been having a really bad dream about Them wanting to replace him. He thought he'd been doing a good job. In fact, he had been enjoying his new assignment and a chance for staying out of the bottles. Why were They bothering his dreams? He shook himself awake and then orbed to where Joxer and Autolycus were. They seemed to be staring into a mirror, and both turned to greet him as he appeared in the room.

"We've got big trouble, Sam."

"Who's hurt?" were Sam's first words.

"Faith," Joxer answered, his great concern clear.

"Where is she?"

"Through there." Autolycus pointed.

"What is there?" He reached his hand out and touched it. Although it appeared to be glass, it was not solid, and Sam's hand went through. He pulled it back quickly and looked at it. "I can see that this is a portal. I'm going through."

"You can not. You will have to orb there; They will not allow me to allow you to pass."

Sam wondered who the mirror was and why They had sent him here (could they really be helping or did they have something else in mind?) but knew that now was not the time for questions. He had to save Faith before it was too late. He orbed and reappeared beside the men gathered around Faith. He knelt beside her and put his hands on her. They glowed as he began to heal her.

She had so many broken bones in her body that it was ridiculous! What had happened to the young woman? He blocked his mind to any outside interference and totally concentrated upon Faith. There was time for questions after he had healed her. If this was part of the trials, those bastards were even sicker than he thought!

Dawson had not moved away from Faith. He kept touching her gently and praying that Sam would succeed in healing his beloved.

Chong had moved away and was checking out the area, hoping to discover where the others might have gone. The Council's powers were great, and Chong felt that They might have hid some evidence or clue as to where the others were. He had seen them fall to their certain deaths just as he had seen Faith fall. It smelled of black magic, and he did not like the reek of it.

Hansel had started to pull his sword on the stranger who had suddenly come up to them, but when the older man had knelt beside Faith and gently put his hands on her and those hands had began to glow, Hansel had realized that he was a healer. He didn't know where he had come from but was grateful for him and hoped that he would be able to heal Faith. He was about to relax his guard when he felt the ground beneath his feet tremble. He turned, his narrowed, blue eyes scanning the desert ground. He noticed a trembling passing through the earth and raised his sword. His mouth was open to warn the others when the sand blasted out in front of Chong and a beast reared up . . .

* * *

**The North Pole**

As Prue and Phoebe worked on Cole, Eddie had wandered over to some animals he could see laying on the ground, hoping that he'd find one that was awake and able to tell him what was going on. "Can any one hear me?" Eddie asked, not realizing that he, himself, could not hear himself. At first, there was no answer. Nothing moved, and then a tiny creature unlike anything Eddie had ever seen before wriggled, trying to get his attention. He lowered his head and saw . . .

Oh my Gods! A snake! He backed up three steps as quickly as he could and sat down. It was the strangest snake Eddie had ever seen, but he knew it had to be a snake. Would it talk to him or bite him? It looked like it was made of ice, and yet its little lips were moving. Eddie couldn't hear a thing. He lowered his face once again toward the creature. "Please don't bite me," he begged in a quivering voice. "I have to get close enough to read your lips."

"I would not ever bite you, you silly thing! You'd leave a bad taste in my mouth! I only eat minerals. A very bad day," the creature said slowly, giving the other animal that was highly unusual to him, a chance to read his lips. "Our Crystal returned to face that awful Elemental. She sent us away from her. We would've done our best to help."

"Where is she?" Eddie asked. "We have come to help."

"No one can help," the small creature said with a sad shake of his head. "There is no way to kill him. One of your people must have died a really awful death," he continued as the noise had now stopped coming.

"What makes you think that some one died?"

"The noise has stopped now. They are straight that way. What's left of them. In his clearing." The tiny creature shook despite himself. "We must leave. He has won." A small tear trickled down his face, and without a backward glance, he slithered away from the weird creature.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	33. Chapter Thirtytwo

**Chapter Thirty-two**

**Kents' Farm**

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, LUTHOR, FOR RAPING MY SON!" Jonathan bellowed again as he ran at Lex, holding the large two-by-four he wielded high. Lex met the two-by-four with the pitchfork, and the throngs of the pitchfork stuck in the wood. Neither man would relinquish his grasp on his weapon, and they glared at each other from around their interlocked weaponry.

Lex finally found his voice. "Why are you attacking me?!" he cried out, blood spitting out from his mouth. "I didn't rape Clark! I could never rape Clark! I love him, and he loves me! He came to me; I didn't go to him! I was waiting for morning, like you told me to, but Clark came to me because he loves me! I know you don't believe me so ask him! _Ask him!_"

Jonathan glared angrily down at Clark. He couldn't believe what he was hearing! Lex Luthor couldn't be telling the truth, especially not about _this_! His son couldn't love another male, let alone a _Luthor_! "Is this true?" he demanded to know through gritted teeth.

"How can you ask him that?!" Martha exclaimed. "Just look at him, Jonathan! Look at how our poor baby's crying!"

"He's crying because of _you_," Lex told them, "and what you've done to me, what he fears you'll do to him if you know!"

"STOP IT!" Clark yelled, and Lex would have closed his eyes, had he dared to look away from his beloved's parents, with relief. Clark was finally overcoming his shock; he'd be between them in any second now! "STOP lying, LEX!" Lex looked at him in shock; his mouth fell open! He must have heard wrong! He _had_ to have heard wrong! A new flood of tears began spilling from his eyes.

* * *

**Heaven**

"**_HEAVEN!?!_**" Rogue almost screamed the word. "What has this got ta do with Amazons?! Phillip, you're crazy! Ya sent me ta the wrong place! Why am Ah here?" But no answer was forthcoming, and the sound of wings was almost deafening. "Don't ya hear 'em?" she asked the other two. "If we're in Heaven, it must be Angels!" Her green eyes stared defiantly into nothingness, waiting for the first one to attack.

Carlos held his sword at the ready. "Of course I hear them!" His eyes, too, scanned the area. "But where are they?!"

Trina sighed. She wasn't going to be getting rid of them. She was just going to have to go ahead as though they were not there. Her gaze returned to the door. She took a deep breath and headed for it, pushing up her sleeves as she walked.

"Trina, what are you doing?"

"You know what I'm doing," she answered Carlos without looking. "And as for why you're here, Rogue, I'm sorry. It's probably my fault."

"Not everything is your fault."

"This is."

"No, it's not -- "

"Carlos, you don't know what happened! You shouldn't even be here! Now let me deal with it, damn it!" She strained harder against the door, but still it did not budge.

Suddenly, they were descended upon by many Angels! The word had been that Andrew wanted them taken to the waiting room, where he would interrogate them and find out what the reasons were that they had been attacking Heaven. It took two Angels to subdue Rogue as she would not stop fighting them until they knocked her out. They then carried her to the waiting room while the others continued dealing with the other two.

Carlos and Trina had, as they often did while fighting, ended up back to back. Carlos slashed at any Angel who dared come near while Trina beat them off with hands and feet. It felt like she was hitting and kicking bricks for the strength that was returned against her, but still she kept trying. "I WANT TO SEE ANDREW!" she yelled at them.

"We will take you to see him."

"You will?" She eyed the female Angel warily. Could it really be _that_ easy to see Andrew?

"You will see him, but you will not want to."

"_He's_ not going to want to see _me_," Trina snapped back. If they didn't let her see Andrew and merely thrust her out of Heaven and back to Earth, she'd use the damned mirror and come again! She stopped fighting and allowed herself to be carried. The moment Trina stopped fighting, Carlos, too, ceased, but he refused to relinquish the sword.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Eddie turned to look at Prue and Phoebe. Had they been able to hear the snake's words? The sisters were staring at each other, neither speaking a word but both with tears in their eyes. Eddie walked back to them, and he could tell from the sad looks on their faces, that they had heard the words. How many of their group had died? he wondered. Were they all gone? Had not even Clark been able to save the day?

"We must hurry on," he told them. "See what happened and get away from this awful, awful place!" He did not allow himself time for tears. His heart was full of fear for his Elvira for he could have sworn her voice carried on the wind seconds before the high-pitched noise had come.

It seemed that Phoebe had barely gotten Cole's ears fixed before the noise stopped, and now she gathered her courage to her, dried her tears for Cole had not yet gotten off of his knees and so had missed both Prue's and her own tears, and removed the balls of cloth as gently as she had inserted them. "I'm . . . I'm sorry I wasn't faster," she told Cole, "but . . . Lorne's . . . Lorne's . . . " She swallowed hard, fighting tears and failing to keep them away as they again filled her eyes. "He's quiet now."

Prue had stopped Eddie and was now slowly unwinding the bandages from Eddie's head. She rolled them back up in case they needed them again later.

"I'm going to shimmer there," Cole told them. "I want the three of you to keep coming in this direction. Stay close together." He looked at Eddie sharply before continuing, "Do not wander off the path. Once I see what has happened there, I'll come back for you." He did not give time to argue but shimmered.

* * *

**A Cavern**

Their eyes communicated silently a split second before Spike stepped back and Kyna whirled to meet their on-rushing opponent. She stepped to the side just as he charged past. "Guard my back."

"Always," Spike answered, already keeping one eye on the fight and his other on the other creatures in the cave. He had heard more than enough about the Council to know that even the smallest spider could pose the direst threat in their collectively foul clutches. His steady, unblinking, all-seeing gaze observed everything, moving and nonmoving, in the cave. If anything so much as breathed in their direction, he'd be on it in a flash and they'd be dust, in some form or another.

Kyna was already waiting when Sheng turned back to face her. Her fist struck his chin; his head snapped back. Her booted foot stomped his toes and kicked his shin; her knee then immediately hit his groin. When Sheng fell to the ground with a groan, she forced herself to move in for the dusting.

The entire time Kyna had been attacking, she had kept an unwavering, silent mantra going in her brain: That is not Sheng. It is a monster with his appearance only. It is not Sheng, neither soul nor vessel. You must do this. You have to do this. You must do this!

The Vampire lifted his head as the stake neared his heart. Jet black bangs hung around rich, brown eyes that begged forgiveness like a pup begging for a scrap of food. "Kyna . . . " She ignored him. "Please . . . " One more inch, and he was dust. "I love you!"

She stopped the stake at his chest. It hovered over his heart. She told herself that she must complete this task, she must stake this creature that was _not_ Sheng, but yet she could not seem to force her hand to move the remaining distance, to pierce his skin, to kill him . . . to kill Sheng . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

As the hole in the Krakken's stomach grew ever bigger, Jack popped out. He did not seem to be moving. Was he already dead? Wolverine's voice resounded inside his own head, screaming, **_NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!_** He grasped his son and attempted to go upward with him, but the entrails were still holding on.

Will was lost, staring horror-stricken at Jack, and Elizabeth realized that Jack was still not entirely free before he did. She slipped in closer to Will, thrust her sword upward, and tore through the remaining entrails with her blade.

With relief, Wolverine was able to pull Jack free. He'd have to thank Elizabeth later. He only hoped she didn't have trouble getting the blacksmith up. He popped out of the water and headed for the shore with Jack. Didymus was on top of the now dead and floating Krakken, and all kinds of predators were closing in to eat on him. "SWIM FOR IT!" he yelled back at Didymus.

Elizabeth saw the tears welling in Will's eyes. She touched his arm, grasped his shoulder, and turned him to face her. She shook her head. Jack was not dead yet! He couldn't be, or at least, she prayed that it was not so! She raised her sword and pointed upward with the blade.

Will's mind kept running in a never-ending circle: They had been too late! Jack was gone! They had his body, but he had not been breathing and had been so still and pale! They had taken too long! Damn the Council! Damn them all to Hell, and that old, wrinkled, withered bitch that Jack had stood for, as well!

Elizabeth shook her head. Will was almost in shock. She began to poke and prod at him, but still he didn't respond. She struggled with him for a moment but then managed to get his sword out of his hand and put it back into his sheathe for him. Then, holding tightly to his hand and pulling him along with her, she began to swim upwards.

As Elizabeth swam, she prayed. She didn't think she had the strength to pull Will all the way into the ocean, but she could not leave him! She _would not_ leave him to die! Tears stung her own eyes, and she pulled him ever more determinedly before finally feeling him begin to respond.

Elizabeth glanced at Will, and as soon as he appeared to be swimming underneath his own power again, she released her hold on his hand. He swam past her and continued swiftly swimming. She wondered what he was thinking and never would have guessed that it was the thought of avenging Jack that was pushing him so hard now. He was already well on his way to the shore by the time she surfaced. She turned and started to follow but stopped when she heard Didymus' yipping.

"I DO NOT FEAR YOU, YOU FOUL, LITTLE THINGS! I AM A KNIGHT OF THE GOBLIN KING, AND AS SUCH, FEAR NOTHING! I WILL TAKE YOU ALL ON! I WILL DEFEAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN DUE TIME!"

"SIR DIDYMUS!" Elizabeth called to him, turning around in the water.

The little dogman paused and looked at her questioningly. "Yes, milady?"

"I DO NOT DOUBT THAT YOU CAN AND WOULD TAKE THEM ALL ON," she told him, lying boldly through her teeth, "BUT PLEASE LET US GET OUT OF THIS WATER! I . . . " She let herself sink a little ways in the water. "I fear I do not have the strength to . . . "

"Say no more, milady! This loyal Knight is forever at any fair damsel's service!" He leapt into the water, knocking big and small fish away, and swam to her side. Elizabeth let him take her hand and lead her toward the safety of the shore.

* * *

**Somewhere**

"CHONG!" Hansel screamed and rushed forward.

The beast that exploded out of the sand reared up in front of the Chinese man, roaring at the top of its lungs and swaying back and forth in the moonlight. The silvery light of the moon shone upon its open teeth, making the glistening fangs look even bigger and sharper.

"MAH-LAN-FAAHN!" Chong screamed out. "EEE!" He fell backward onto his rear in surprise shock. "WHAT IS THAT THING?!"

Hansel raced across the sand, stumbling several times but never allowing himself to slow. If he fell, perhaps the beast would eat him instead of Chong. When he was near enough to attack, he jumped into the air, springing forward in a maneuver he'd learned from Chong many years before. He held the sword out in front of him, grasping its hilt in both hands, and had just sliced the blade across the beast's neck when Sam called out.

"SAND WORMS!" Sam shouted. "DON'T LET THEM CATCH YOU! THEY'LL SWALLOW YOU WHOLE!" He had not taken his hands away from Faith, and he could feel her body responding to him. "THEY WANT THE GIRL! DON'T LET THEM GET HER, AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T CUT THEIR HEADS OFF! THEY MAKE TWO!"

"_NOW_ YOU TELL ME!" Hansel complained from where he had landed between the worm and Chong. "HOW LONG DO WE HAVE?" The head had splattered across the ground, but Hansel could still hear what he thought was roaring.

Chong was on his feet in seconds, his sword at the ready. Dawson came to stand beside them, brandishing his sword as well. He watched in wonder as the head continued to scream and writhe on the ground and a body sprouted seemingly out of nowhere, attached to the head. He looked at the first one, and it already had a new head! "HOW DO YOU KILL THE THINGS?!" he yelled at Sam.

"YOU DON'T!" Sam yelled back. "EVERY TIME YOU CUT A PART OFF, THEY MAKE ANOTHER ONE! WE'VE GOT TO MOVE AND GET ON SOMETHING MADE OUT OF STONE! IF WE DON'T, THEY'RE GONNA GET US!"

Dawson turned to look at Sam. "CAN WE MOVE HER YET?"

"I HAVE DONE ALL THAT I CAN! SHE HAS TO OPEN HER EYES BEFORE WE KNOW HOW SHE'S FEELING, BUT YES, I SUGGEST WE DO IT AND QUICKLY! I'LL TAKE HER HOME AND COME BACK FOR YOU! THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PORTAL ON THIS SIDE. MEANWHILE, DON'T STAND STILL! OUTRUN THEM AND GET ON SOMETHING MADE OUT OF SOLID STONE!"

Chong was already running for higher ground. He could hear Sam's words, and they kept revibrating in his head: You can't kill them! You can only increase them! How can there be a damned creature that could not be killed?! There had to be some way, but he didn't have time to find out now! He glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Hansel was still with him and only then realized that they were both naked.

Sam attempted to orb and screamed in pain. "Something's preventing me from orbing to the house! We've got to get to higher ground!" He orbed to the top of the cliff that Faith had fallen from. He looked down and was about to orb down to get Dawson when he saw Dawson jump just as a sandworm came down on the spot where Dawson had been.

Hansel skidded to a stop as a sandworm exploded between Dawson and himself. Having seen what Faith meant to the kid and thinking that she must feel the same for him or otherwise she would have gotten rid of him before now, he had been keeping Dawson between Chong and himself. He didn't want his best girl friend to lose the one man who'd finally managed to keep a hold of her, but at the same time, he was desperate to get out of the way of the sandworms. Every time Dawson had stumbled or looked like he'd been about to, Hansel had shoved him forward and encouraged him to run even faster. But now, with the sandworm blocking them . . . "Fuck!" Hansel exclaimed. He couldn't see Dawson anywhere and feared that he was now on his way to worm's belly.

* * *

**Heaven**

Andrew had watched the whole thing take place. How had Trina managed to get this close?! It wasn't her time, nor was it Carlos' or Rogue's time! What the Devil was going on down there?!

He wasn't supposed to look unless he had been summoned, so he had not been sticking his nose in. Some small time had passed without Trina screaming his name so much that he had had a headache, and he had thought perhaps that she and Carlos had come to a closer understanding. Should he peek down upon the others to see what was going on?

Should he come on as a vengeful Angel, as he was supposed to do? After all, he had to protect Heaven. Just why was Trina here?! He knew she was going to be trouble.

He sat down in his chair, his head buried in his hands. "Oh God! What do I do now?" he wailed out to Zeus, who, as usual, was not listening or didn't appear to be. Andrew was on his own as he always had to be. He'd let them wait a while. He'd put it off as long as he could.

Andrew stole a peek just in time to see Trent, who, as of yet, was not with the group and saw him stepping through a portal in the guise of a mirror. "Phillip," he muttered. "I'm surprised you're still around, you poor, pathetic thing!" He buried his face in his hands, trying to advert a headache. "There's another one coming," Andrew told Bartholomew, his second-in-command. "Put him in with his sister. Let them stew for a while."

Bartholomew looked at Andrew. "Do you really think that wise?"

"Maybe not, but at the time, it's the only thing I can do. I can't face her."

"We can keep her off of you, Andrew," Bartholomew told him. "She packs one heck of a punch." He rubbed his jaw ruefully where Rogue had punched him during the struggle.

"Not that one," Andrew told him. "In fact, you need to take her away from here. She needs to go back to her people. Send Catherine and Daniel to return her. We definitely don't need the headache she can cause. As for the other three, keep them in the waiting room. I'm busy."

* * *

**The North Pole**

Lorne crawled over beside Crys, took his necklace off, and added it to Jack's. He figured if one crystal could heal as well as he had already seen it do, two would surely do the trick of saving his Crys. He took her hand up in his trembling hands and brought it to his lips, his eyes gazing down upon his love.

Angel looked around for the newcomer. Spotting Clark, he grinned. "Thanks, Clark! You arrived just in the nick of time, but how did you get here and did you come alone?"

Clark descended from the air and touched down onto the ground before answering Angel. "I didn't come alone. Cole, two of the Halliwells, and . . . " He glanced toward Elvira with a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He knew how Donkey felt about the wolf and decided to keep his surprise. " . . . some one else are here, as well. I came on ahead, but they should be here shortly. As for how we got here, would you believe we jumped through a mirror?"

"That thing we saw on the beach was really a mirror?" Angel asked Clark. He could tell that Clark was keeping something back and wondered what it was. "Who else did you say came?" he questioned, glancing toward Elvira and hoping she would not hear.

Clark chose to overlook Angel's second question. "It's some kind of mirror and portal, and it talks. None of us are really sure what it is, but it's been helping, both to get us here and with the trials."

"How go the trials?" Angel asked even as he moved over to check on Cordy and Crys. He saw that there were two necklaces now on Crys and that they were both working or, at least, glowing, but he did not close out Clark. He listened intently to what the young man was saying even as he looked for signs of the crystals' progress. Yes, he realized with relief, they were working for the ice was going away, vanishing in the direction it had appeared and leaving Crystal's body, though it was now blue and -- he glanced away -- naked!

Clark had also been looking down to see how Crystal was faring and now blushed deeply and whipped his head away. Looking everywhere and anywhere but at Crystal, he stammered, "Th-Th-They-They're doing . . . doing as good as can be expected, giving wh-what's been h-happening, but some . . . some have gone to help." He shook his head. "It's all kinds of things. I want to get back and check on Lex again as soon as possible. I don't know what they could have thought could have hurt him on the farm, but Lex should be able to handle it. I can't help worrying about him, though."

"How are you able to know what's going on with the trials, Clark? Is the mirror helping with that, and if I understand correctly, it's a teleportation device?"

Clark nodded, still fighting down his embarrassment. "I -- Yeah, it's some sort of portal thing and sort of . . . sort of like I've heard a crystal ball's like. I don't know how long Will and the others were watching before they called the rest o-of our attentions to it, but we're able to see what's going on with the trials. Do -- We tried looking here but couldn't see anything for . . . for all the . . . for all the snow."

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sam orbed down, grabbed the kid, and brought him up to Faith. Sam orbed down again, grabbed Chong, who had been desperately trying to climb the side of the mountain. Chong had not been able to gain purchase. There seemed to be no way up but orbing.

The worm screamed in rage as its mouth closed down upon empty air. It had not known where the second meal had come from but had become even more excited at its arrival, yet now it got nothing! Sensing movement behind it, it whirled around.

Hansel had stopped so quickly that his bare feet had slid out from under him. Now he scrambled backwards, one hand desperately seeking the sword he had accidentally dropped. He grabbed the sword just as the sandworm headed for him. He screamed and brought the sword up in desperation.

Chong looked down at Hansel. Was he going to lose his lover as quickly as he had regained him? "DO SOMETHING!" he yelled even as he saw Sam disappear.

Sam orbed Hansel out from under the very jaws as they came down upon them. He managed to get worm slime on himself. "Euuw! Yuck!" he said when he reappeared.

"You're telling me!" Hansel exclaimed, trying unsuccessfully to shake the slimy spit off of him. "I forgot why I hate fighting naked!"

Worms seemed to be diving from all over the place and coming back down in a futile attempt to find food that Sam had just rescued. He figured that worm slime was a little price for saving four lives.

Sam looked wily at him and gave him a quirky smile. "There's nothing for it now but to fight naked if need be. I can't orb any clothes here. Unless we find some along our way, you'll just have to remain that way." He purposefully did not look downward. "If any one else was down there, they were taken." He looked at Dawson.

Dawson shook his head. "It was an illusion. They weren't real, but Faith thought they were." His hands were still clenched around his sword, and he slowly went to put it up before remembering that he didn't have a scabbard. He stuck it in the ground at the top of Faith's head and knelt back down by her side. "I don't know what she's going to think when she wakes up. We're certainly not the ones we set out to rescue or, at least, you're not! She thought she did rescue me." He stroked her hair back out of her face with a gentle hand, hoping she'd wake up and gift him with one of her dazzling smiles. Her smiles were rare but always beautiful.

Chong looked back over the sandworms, who were still jumping through the air but not being able to reach their perch. "Can they get up this high?" he asked Sam.

"Not usually, but since this is a trial, there's no telling what they've come up with. The only way out of this mess is to continue until we have either passed or failed. We're in it for good or evil, and our main goal is to protect Faith."

* * *

**Somewhere**

Wolverine was working frantically over Jack, breathing into his mouth and trying desperately to force his very breath into his son to make him breathe. He had not had any water in his lungs while in the belly of the Krakken, and therefore there was hardly any to get out of Jack's lungs. That little bit did come out, but still Jack did not move.

Wolverine beat on his son's chest in desperation. "JACK, DON'T YA DARE DIE ON ME, LAD! YOU HAVE TO PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER AN' HELP ME GO RESCUE YER MOTHER!" But no matter what he did, it did not seem to bring his son around. Jack lay as still as death, which Wolverine was afraid had at last claimed his brave son. Part of him realized when Will made it to shore and then Elizabeth being towed by Didymus, but still he did not let up on Jack.

Inside Jack's brain, he was telling himself the same thing. You can not die, Sparrow! I won't let you die! Again, he did not recognize the voice as being his own.

He was kicking his own butt mentally, but yet he could not move. The stuff was all over him, literally choking the life out of him as he could feel his body beginning to shut down the rest of the way, yet he hung on to the one thread he could retain: Will's chocolate eyes. How they haunted him! How they beckoned and enticed him, yet he couldn't reach out and touch them or smother them in kisses as he wanted to! He lay there, still, for all intents and purposes, dead to the world.

Will turned sorrowful eyes toward Jack. Wolverine was working feverishly on his love, but he knew it would do no good. Jack was gone. Jack was gone! "AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" he thundered out suddenly, raising the sword he still wielded toward the Heavens. "I'LL SEE THAT YOU ALL DIE SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY BEFORE I JOIN HIM!"

Elizabeth heard Will yelling that it was all somebody's fault as she let Didymus haul her onto the shore. "Get me away from the water, please," she moaned. "All those horrible things in it!" She shivered, but her eyes were on Will. He was pointing his sword at the heavens, and she wondered what was running through his mind as Didymus strained underneath her weight and pulled her further onto the shore.

Elizabeth's eyes went pass Will to where Wolverine looked to be beating Jack to a pulp. She started to shake her head but stopped the movement when she heard a low groan from Didymus and remained still and, seemingly, helpless. Jack was still not responding. Could they have been too late, as Will so obviously feared? She waited until Didymus was well away from the water, then suddenly sprang to life.

"What?!" Didymus cried in surprise as Elizabeth's sudden movement accidentally knocked him backwards. He landed on his tail and watched in shock as she raced across the shore.

"Is he breathing?! Is he alive?!" Her questions came from right behind Wolverine. She bent over and examined Jack, seeking any sign of life. Her forehead creased. There was some kind of sticky substance on him, but it wasn't blood or entrails. It wasn't that color, and it wasn't water. "Wolverine," she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder to get his attention, "what's that stuff on him?"

"Ick from the Krakken. Gotta get it off of him! Can't have my boy looking that way!" He had given up. Jack was dead, but he didn't want him going to meet Davy Jones looking like the worst Pirate he had ever seen. "Gotta get him to the water and get the ick off." It was as though he did not even know Elizabeth was in the world at the moment. He picked Jack up as though the boy weighed nothing, and without a single glance at Will, he carried Jack over to the edge of the water where he began to splash water on him frantically, his one thought being to get the ick off.

"Ick?" Elizabeth repeated, her brow furrowing. Wasn't that a disease of inland fish? It didn't exist in the ocean, but there was something like it . . . She couldn't recall the proper terminology at the moment, but she did remember that it was poisonous. "WOLVERINE!" she yelled, rushing after him. Will and Didymus looked up at the urgency in her voice. "DON'T LET IT GET IN THE WATER! WE'VE GOT TO GET IT OFF OF HIM, THOUGH; THAT MIGHT BE WHY HE'S NOT RESPONDING!"

Wolverine sliced Jack's clothes off and threw them disgustedly away from the water. He continued to splash water on Jack, praying that it would work and not caring if the ick ran back into the water and killed the whole damn ocean as long as his son lived.

* * *

**Heaven**

Trina paced the room, fury coming off of her in waves so strong that neither Carlos nor Rogue tried to speak to her. She was muttering to herself, but they couldn't hear what she was saying except for the occasional speaking of Andrew's name. She knew that they were being watched, and she also knew that Andrew was not yet among their watchers.

"WHERE IS HE?!" she demanded from the unseen Angels. "I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING US! WHERE IS ANDREW?! GIVE US ANDREW OR JUST GO AHEAD AND FLUSH US OUT, BUT I WARN YOU, IF YOU TURN US AWAY, I'LL BE BACK!"

A sound met her ears that sounded like an opening door. She looked toward the sound, but all she could see was light. Then her brother came stumbling through. He, too, was fuming, and she knew he had been pushed in there. "What are you doing here?!"

"You know what I'm doing here," Trent returned. "The question is where the heck is he?!"

Rogue looked at Trina. "Would ya like ta tell me what this has ta do wit' Andrew?"

"Oh. Nothing much," Trina shot sarcastically, "except that he left us last night in the midst of battle, claimed that he was the freaking Angel of Death, glowed, passed through the boys, _disappeared_! And, as it turns out, he's been the Angel of Death all along, Zeus supposedly let him turn human long enough to court me, but he was supposed to be wed to me by a certain date or else he had to leave, come back here to Heaven, and go back to being a damn Angel!"

A rustling was heard at Trina's cusswords. "We do not have that language in here, young lady," one of the older female Angels told her.

Trina whirled toward the sound of the new voice and found a black Angel looking disapprovingly down upon her. "Try this on for size," she growled. "Damn. Fuck. Bitch. Fuck you, bitch!"

The Angel held up her hand, and Trina found that she could no longer voice her opinion. "I hate to do that, but we really can not have Him hearing such words. There are so many other words that can be used, and you are smart enough to know them. You can't come in here, making demands, cursing, and expect to get anywhere!"

"Andrew will be with you as soon as he can! He is a very busy Angel. In the mean time, I am to see to your needs and to see that you are returned to your people, Rogue. I don't know why, but somehow you got sent here. You have another place you need to be."

"Ah need ta be here, too," Rogue said, "or Ah wouldn't've come. Ah don't think there can be so many mix-ups as ta send me here. Phillip wouldn't mess up."

"And how is dear Phillip?" the black Angel inquired. "My name is Tess."

"Well, Tess," Carlos' voice suddenly sounded from behind her, "I suggest you release whatever spell you have on Trina or . . . " His voice turned into a squeak as the sword he had had pointed at Tess' neck suddenly whipped out of his hand and he himself was dropped back into the center of the room.

Tess was growing tired of these humans. Why Andrew liked them so much, she really didn't know. She looked at the female called Rogue. "You will leave as Andrew has decreed it. If you give them trouble," she indicated the two Angels now approaching, "they will simply knock you out and carry you back to your people. Save yourself the trouble and go willingly."

Rogue did not want to be knocked out again. Her mouth tasted like cotton, and none of them had been offered anything to drink. She glared angrily at the two approaching Angels and then looked back at her friends. She smiled sadly even as she felt herself carried upward.

"Now can we trust your words to be more appealing?" Tess looked at both Trina and Carlos. She could keep them quiet indefinitely, and she much preferred the humans to be that way.

Trent had been busily reading Trina's lips and arguing with her in a hushed voice. "Trina, I'm not going anywhere. They'll have to kill me to take me away from you, and I don't think Angels kill." He shrugged. "They just don't like your language or Carlos' threat. Yeah, I know. I know. I know." He held out his hands. "It's not me, sis; it's them." He nodded again in agreement.

Carlos glared at Tess. "If Trina does not cuss," he questioned her, "will you lift the spell?"

"It is not a spell," Tess told him, "and I've already said that, if she will talk more appealing, I will return her voice. It is up to her. Andrew will not be able to come for quite a while yet. I am afraid that you will have to wait for him here; you are not allowed in. After all, you aren't dead yet." She grinned at him, a grin that said it could be arranged.

Carlos glared at the Angel. "Angels are supposed to be entirely good beings. If that's the case, you can't kill."

Trent looked up. He shook his head at Carlos and looked at Tess. "She will not cuss. She gives her word."

"You're wrong about that, Carlos," Tess told him. "Angels do kill. We have been to war many times over the centuries, but we do not take lives unnecessarily and we do not kill humans. I have returned her voice, but one cuss word . . . " She left the warning hanging.

Trina rubbed her throat; it felt like a massive hand had just been removed. She looked at Tess, her furious eyes speaking the words that she could not utter for the time being. "Can Andrew hear us?"

"He has been aware of your presence since you came. Unfortunately, his hands are full with other problems. He must solve them before he can see to your problem. If you would like to state your case, and why you are here, he will also hear that. It might spur him on to getting here faster."

She added to herself, Then again, it might make him run faster than Mercury to get far away from this place! Of course, he could never go too far; they were tied here. "I have to return to him, but I will come back. If you need anything, in the mean time, please tell Monica."

Tess looked around but could not spot Monica at first. Then she saw that she was flirting with another Angel. "MONICA!" she yelled at a volume that would have made another Angel quake in her shoes, but Monica just slowly walked over and looked at Tess.

"You called me, Tess?"

"Yes. You are in charge of the humans. See to their needs." With that, Tess turned and walked out.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Prue held tightly to Phoebe's hand while Phoebe clutched the Book just as frantically and they continued to walk forward, followed by an over-anxious Eddie. They would not leave the path as they did not want to get lost. They prayed that Cole would find every one okay but feared what he might find.

* * *

**A Cavern**

"Kyna," he repeated, opening his arms to her and pleading with her with his eyes, Sheng's eyes, "I love you . . . I understand if you feel you must. I still love you."

Spike fought down his steaming desire to attack this monster with Sheng's face and rip it limb from limb with his bare hands. "Kyna . . . " His breath was a soft growl mixed with worry, frustration, and above all, concern for the woman he loved with his whole being.

A lone tear slipped down Kyna's face.

Spike's spirit caught in his throat. She wasn't going to be able to. He was going to have to, and she would hate him for it. He moved forward hesitantly, knowing what had to be done and determined to do it . . . even if it did destroy his entire universe by making the one being who meant everything to him hate his bloody guts . . .

Kyna drove the stake home, and Spike's mouth opened silently in shock that she had actually managed to do it. The evil Vampire screamed with Sheng's voice as it exploded into a hundred grains of dirt. Its skeleton's ancient bones folded in upon itself, crumpling together into dirt until the hundred grains became a million.

Sheng's scream continued to echo in the caverns even after the grains of dirt that his being had been demoted to had fallen to the ground. Kyna dropped the stake and turned to William with tears streaking down both cheeks. He shut his mouth with a gasp of concern. "Baby . . . " Kyna never cried in danger, and to see her doing so now and witness the pain and heartbreak in her eyes nearly ripped Spike's heart out. "Oh, love," he crooned, stepping up to her with arms open wide. She fell into his arms but did not allow herself the luxury of sobbing. Instead, as William held her, she tried to rein in her tears.

He stroked her shaking back; her long, raven hair; her soft, tear-soaked face . . . He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek. "You had no choice," he whispered soothingly against her tender, trembling flesh, but even so, he knew words would do no good. He kissed her again on the cheek and vowed to give her time to grieve but not too long . . . After all, he was still here, still undead, and Sheng had been history now for a very, very long time. Besides, they hadn't finished the trial yet, and duty always came first with Kyna! He held her as she cried, but remained on full alert, awaiting the next attack and dreading what could possibly be worse . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	34. Chapter Thirtythree

**Chapter Thirty-three**

**The North Pole**

Cole arrived at the small group to see every one clustered around one person laying on the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was not Lorne. He saw that the one on the ground was Crys. Walking up to stand beside Lorne, he asked, "Will she be okay, and where is he?"

Lorne looked up but could not answer. "You have arrived after the battle, my friend," Angel told Cole, "but I believe Crys will be okay. We got here just in time. I pray that we have killed You Know Who for he shrank away into nothingness."

"He's not a teleporter," Cole spoke out loud. "You may be right. I need to bring the others here, and then we'll check it out." Cole was very relieved that none of their people were dead. "It will not take me long," he told them and shimmered back to the Halliwells and Eddie. He had a huge smile on his face when Prue looked up to see him. "They are all alive!" Cole told them, and his smile grew even huger. "And I believe they have defeated the Elemental!"

Eddie squealed with delight and jumped up and down. "My Elvira's okay?"

"Oh, yes!" Cole told him. "I'm going to take you first, but you must be very still and close your eyes." He reached out, grasping Eddie firmly, and shimmered. The moment they appeared, Eddie saw Elvira and ran as though his very life depended on it, coming to a skidding halt before his beloved. He cavorted like a young burrito, twirling around his lady love and calling her name.

"Eddie?!" Elvira yipped in surprise. Her head snapped up, and her eyes shot wide as she saw that it was, indeed, Eddie who had arrived. "What are you doing here?!" By Gods, he was as stupid, and as brave, as Lorne!

Giving her a huge grin that made him look like he'd been eating briars, Eddie twirled around Elvira again. "Thank the Goddess you're okay!" he sang. "I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you!" He was so overcome with joy that he thought his heart would burst with love of his Elvira!

Elvira stared at Eddie in shock. She couldn't believe the way he was acting any more than she dared believe he was truly saying what she thought she was hearing! She looked down at Crystal for a moment, then felt Eddie still.

Eddie felt heart-broken! Elvira had not greeted him with the same joy he was showing her! Alas, he had misread his lady love! Her intentions were not to be his, after all. He slowed down. His tail tucked between his legs, and his head hung low. He felt his heart breaking in a million pieces.

Elvira looked back up at him and realized that her hesitation had been completely misunderstood. She leaned forward and licked him. "I'm glad you're here," she yipped to him, "but you know how dangerous it was!"

Her lick shot lightning through Eddie's body, and he kissed her. He kept kissing her until he knocked her over on her back. He had to pause to catch his breath, and his words came forth. "I would climb any mountain, swim any ocean, brave any danger to be near you, my love! I can not live without you for you are the very breath that I breathe!" He trembled all over as he kissed her again. His Elvira was his, and he was the King of the world!

Elvira was overpowered by Donkey's eager excitement and was on her back before she even knew what had happened. She laid there, looking up at him in astonishment and thrilling at his words, and then she heard her siblings. Cindy gave a half-snort, half-growl that muttered a question of how long Eddie had been practicing those lines in hopes of getting Elvira in the sack and a comment of how Elvira was, yet again, showing the stupidity of her race. At the same time, Blue farted. The dragon looked around innocently and then cooed, "Oops."

Eddie ignored the both of them and continued to kiss his beloved.

* * *

**Heaven**

Monica's eyes wandered over both the human males. They were nice to look at but not worth the trouble to touch. Humans never were. "Do you need anything?" she asked, looking at Trina, even while sniffing disdainfully at the males.

Trina glared back at Monica. "No," she snapped. "The only thing we need is a moment with Andrew. Not," she continued, rising to her feet, "that he seems in any hurry to talk to me." She shrugged and raised her voice a couple of notches as she continued talking. "It would appear he finally got what he wanted and decided he was bored enough to leave."

A shuddering shock of breaths escaped from the room. "Oh my God! He did that with _you_?!" Monica declared.

Trina ignored her for the time being. "If I'd known that, I would have never bothered coming, but looking at this situation -- "

"Trina, I'm -- "

"Not now, Trent," Trina demanded and then continued. "Really, Andrew, if you were bored, had had enough, or whatever," she said with a shrug, "you could have simply said so instead of putting on such an act." She drew out the word and rolled her eyes. "You know what I'm talking about. The little, sad Angel who didn't really want to leave but had to. I can definitely see how much you _didn't_ want to go. It was my mistake for coming. I thought you cared. I was actually _stupid_ enough to believe that you did." There were tears in her eyes now, but she continued, shrugging off Trent's hand and not daring to look at he, Carlos, or any other being that she could see or feel.

"I was _stupid_ enough to believe what you told me. Didn't know Angels could lie. Guess that's sort of like the whole killing thing, huh? You're supposed to be all good, but you can still do it. Yet you made a lousy Pirate. Didn't seem able to kill a flea. Strange. Part of the act, I take it?"

Monica almost fainted. She slumped to the floor. "He did it with you?!" Big tears wailed up in her eyes. "I've been trying to get him for centuries, and he did it with _you_, a _human_?! Euuw!"

"You want me to shut up, Andrew? Am I boring you enough yet?" That certainly wasn't the effect she was going for, but he didn't need to know that. "It's easy enough," she stated with a shrug. "Get your winged rear in here so that we can get this over with and let us go home. I've evidently got no reason to be here any way, and you and I both know why the boys got drug into this."

"They were following me. They always follow me. Thought you were like that at one time. Obviously not. Just got bored up here, thought you'd try out Earth long enough, and I guess I wasn't good enough in the bedroom." Trent's and Carlos' mouths both dropped open at that.

"Trina -- " Trent tried to warn.

"No, Trent." She held out a hand to stop him but still did not face him. "I'm not cussing, and I'm only stating facts. Surely they can't hold that against us too?" She heard another buzzing of wings. "Yes, that's right. _Facts._ Come on. Surely Angels gossip? Surely you guys and gals knew that Andrew had been playing an Earth man to get his jollies on? I guess you could say I was kind of his Jolly Roger."

"Just like Markus. I don't know why I keep ending up with guys who claim to want me, claim to love me, and then mess me over. What's taking so long any way, Andrew? Scared of the facts? Don't want to admit the truth? I can live with the truth. Just come on and let's get this over with. And then I'll be out of your hair forever." She shoved a hand through her own hair, trying unsuccessfully to calm her nerves and shaking hands and stop the tears that were now beginning to trickle down her face.

"Trina . . . " This time it was both Trent and Carlos who tried to reach her.

"NO!" she yelled at them, whipping away from their touches. "NO! I don't want to be comforted! I just want this to be over with! I was a fool! It's not like it's the first time I was tricked by a lying, deceitful ba -- male!"

* * *

**Somewhere**

Seeing that Wolverine was not being careful and that the liquidy substance might well run into the ocean, Elizabeth dared to jump in front of him. She stood there with her hands on her hips and a stern, disapproving glare on her face when he turned to get some more water. "You've got to get him away from the edge a bit! I know you're worried about him, Wolverine! We all are, but think for a moment! The ocean is connected to everything on the earth! Do you want the disease to circle back around, get you, get Ororo?"

"NO! But I wanna get it off of Jack! I ain't got nothing to carry the water in! Don't care if the whole damned ocean dies as long as my son lives!"

"Jack would care! You know he would! And what good will it do if he lives only to not have an ocean to be a Pirate on? You know Pirating is his life!" She remained standing where she was, moving only to block Wolverine from the water, and raised her voice to a shout. "WILL, GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE! WE MIGHT YET BE ABLE TO SAVE JACK!"

Her words brought both Will and Didymus running. "It's not too late?!" Will cried.

"Maybe not. Give me your scabbard."

"What?"

"JUST DO IT!"

Will removed his sword, tossed it to the ground, whipped off his belt, and threw the whole thing to Elizabeth. She grabbed the scabbard and lowered it into the ocean's water.

Wolverine moved Jack away from the ocean. He could not argue with Elizabeth. He knew that both Jack and 'Ro would kick his ass if he destroyed the ocean. "Jack, please respond!" he moaned, begging his son to come back to him. He never realized how much love for his family meant to him until he found that he was about to lose it. He couldn't bare the thought of never having Jack by his side again. "You've got to live, son," he told Jack even as he took the scabbard from Elizabeth and poured the water over him, washing the last of the ick away. He turned Jack on his side and pumped him on the back again. This time, ocean water came up, and Jack moved a little.

Will had followed Elizabeth when she had ran the water-filled scabbard to Wolverine. They stood side by side, watching in grave concern, as Wolverine worked on Jack. There was more on his back, Elizabeth noted, but just as she bent to retrieve Will's scabbard, she found another, small scabbard thrust out. Elizabeth's fingers brushed the fur on the dog man's outstretched hand as she took the scabbard. Kneeling beside Wolverine, she ran the water over Jack and helped in removing the ick. Will, too, dropped to his knees and helped.

The trio could feel Jack beginning to respond under their touches. Small tremblings passed through his body. "Turn him back over," Elizabeth commanded, never realizing that she had taken control of the situation. "Wolverine, go back to working on his stomach. Will, you provide the mouth to mouth."

Wolverine did as he was instructed, pressing Jack's stomach gently. Will took in a large gasp of air and held it until he had fastened his mouth over Jack's. He continued the procedure as Elizabeth and Didymus looked on. All four prayed to whatever deity might care to listen.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Hansel knelt again on Faith's other side. His eyes had followed Chong's, and he had admired his rear longingly before hearing the other men talking again about the trial. He looked at Dawson and reached out a hand to stroke Faith's hair. "What are these trials?" he asked him. "I . . . " He frowned. "I don't really remember much since last night before coming to on the beach."

Dawson looked at the hand that was stroking Faith's hair. He didn't know rather to be angry or just relieved that some one else cared about Faith. He followed the arm up with his eyes until he met the man's face. "What is Faith to you?" Dawson asked instead of answering his question. Could this man be one of Faith's ex-lovers?

Hansel heard the edge in the kid's voice and smiled wistfully at him. "You have nothing to fear. Faith and I go way back, but I'm not interested in her that way any more."

"Any more?" Dawson interrupted him.

"I haven't been for years. I love Chong."

Dawson's eyes went wide as he glanced at the Chinese man. He didn't say anything else, but he nodded in acceptance. "Faith is my all," he told Hansel. "I love her more than life itself, but she's only recently stopped trying to drive me away from her. I think she loves me. I pray that she does, but only Faith knows for sure. Have you ever heard of Salem Saberhagen?"

Hansel shook his head as he pulled a strand of hair away from Faith's face. "I'll find out the truth if we ever manage to get out of here, but if she hasn't drove you off by now, she probably does. Who's this Salem?"

Chong returned to their side, his eyes intent upon Hansel's face. "Salem would have made a great world leader. He tried. He failed, and he was turned into a cat." He waited for those words to sink into Hansel.

Hansel cocked his head up and looked at Chong from an angle. A smile played over his lips as he couldn't help thinking how handsome his lover looked bathed in the light of the full moon. "Who turned him into a cat, and what does he have to do with all this?"

"The Council," Dawson told him, taking over where Chong had left off. "This is all about retrying Salem and his men."

Hansel smiled wryly as he looked back down at Faith. "She always did have a soft spot for animals, but she'd never admitted it before."

Chong squatted down beside them. "My Grandfather was one of Salem's men, but he passed on ten years ago. My Uncle also was, but he, too, is gone."

Hansel reached over and placed a comforting hand on Chong's wrist. His eyes met his, but he didn't speak. He knew he still missed his family.

"Knowing the Council has done this to Faith already, you can imagine what kind of traps they have set," Chong told the others. "We must be very careful." He looked around and wondered where Sam had gone.

* * *

**The North Pole**

Cole had missed most of the excitement as he had shimmered back to get the Halliwells and arrived back only in time to get the benefit of Blue's explosion. Prue pinched her nose closed with her fingers. "Euuw!" Phoebe declared. The trio all cast eyes straight upon Blue, who seemed to be so innocent yet so deadly.

Crystal was slowly coming around. She raised a hand and stroked Blue. "It's okay," she told him, her weakened voice barely a whisper. "It's a wonder you managed to contain it this long." She scratched his head, then moved her hand to Cindy's head and petted her. "And let your sister have her fun. One of these days, you're going to fall in love." Cindy was so thrilled to be being petted again by her mother that she actually kept her comment to herself.

At last, Crystal squeezed one of Lorne's hands with her other hand. "Lorne?" she croaked as her eyes finally fluttered open.

Lorne reached out a hand and stroked Crystal's face lovingly. He wished he could talk but knew that his voice might never return to him. He tried to convey his love with his eyes, and from Crystal's smile, he knew he succeeded. "I love you," she told him softly, hoping he could forgive her for running off on them again. She had had no other choice, though, and it was a miracle they had all survived. A miracle, she couldn't help thinking, that was too good to be true.

As Phoebe had turned toward Blue, she had caught sight of something black on the ground but had not looked closer at it. Now that Crys was coming around, she allowed curiosity to get the better of her and looked back toward it. "Delvira!" she screeched and rushed over to the fallen Vampiress.

Angel walked over to stand beside Delvira. "Is she okay?" he asked Phoebe. "She's one Hell of a fighter. Wish I had half her power."

Prue came over and knelt down beside Delvira. "She just needs to rest. She almost burned herself out that time." She recognized Delvira's weakness, because she had seen similar traits in Ororo before.

"It's time to go home," Angel told the group.

Cole nodded. "Home's the best place for us right now. It's safe, and she'll have a chance to recover. Phillip?" Cole called, hoping that the mirror would answer. If need be, he and Clark could take every one home, but it would be so much faster if Phillip answered.

Lorne reached out and pulled Crys close to him. He wished he could talk and tell her how he felt. He wanted to thank Jack for all of his help. The only thing he could think to do was to reach his hand out toward the boy and smile. He hoped his voice would come back, but if it didn't, it was well worth the cost. They seemed to have defeated their enemy. It was time to go home. It was time to start the rest of their lives together! He squeezed Crys gently, thankful that he could hold her in his arms again.

Jack returned Lorne's smile. He felt as grateful to the Demon as Lorne did to him, but he would not thank him for being there for Crys in front of his cousin as he knew she would not take well to it, at least not yet. He kept his gaze, gripped his hand, and shook it.

As the others talked around them, Cole and Clark calling out to some being called Phillip, Crystal pulled gently and only slightly out of Lorne's arms. She raised her hands to her necklace, slipped it off, and put it around Lorne's neck. Her eyes never left his. "I had to try," she told him. "What happened to cost so many lives was my own fault, Lorne. I couldn't have bared it if I had been the death of you or my babies or Angel. You know that, I hope, I had to try. But I love you." Her hands cupped and caressed his handsome face. "Did he . . . Did he try to feed you any lies?" She hoped her uncle had not told them what she had said.

Jack released Lorne's hand. He stepped back, put a finger to his nose, and winked at the green Demon. He gestured to Crystal and reached out, laying hands on both Blue and Cindy and petting both simultaneously.

Angel told Crys, "He was spouting all kinds of things, but we didn't believe it for one second. We know better, Crys. We know you don't hate us. You love us as much as we love you. Thanks, Jack; you were the smartest one of the bunch. You knew you couldn't stop her, and you equipped her well and came to get us. The weapons didn't work, but they delayed him well."

"It takes all of us to take care of our family, and I'm thankful for each of us. I think that's what Lorne would say if he could talk." Angel smiled. "I know it's what I want to say. You're in our hearts, Crys, and we're in yours. We're family, but even our love is not as great for you as Lorne's is. You are his soul." Angel looked over at Cordy and smiled. "I know how he feels." He held his hand out to Cordy.

Cordelia got to her feet, dusted the back of her clothes off, and rushed to join Angel. She took his hand with a smile and squeezed it gently.

"Would you like to have a few moments alone with your cousin?" Angel asked. "This Phillip that Cole and Clark is calling for seems to be slow in answering us. It's going to be a long trip back, and we don't mind giving you a little privacy."

Lorne would not let go of Crys' hand; he was holding on to it tightly. He still feared that she would disappear right before his eyes. It was an amazing thing that they had accomplished all together; the Elemental had totally melted into the sky. Family was the key. Captain Jack had always said it, and Lorne firmly believed it. He squeezed Crys and got slowly to his feet. He knew she probably had some very special words to share with her cousin, and Angel had told him quite eloquently what he wanted to say, as well. Lorne wondered who Phillip was and why he was taking so long to answer.

Jack grinned. "You're Crystal's family," he spoke to them all, "and that makes you my family, which means there's no need for secret talks or what have you. It's past time she had a home to go to, a family of more than four to love her so, and I'm glad she's found you and the rest of your crew." Secretly, he wished he could some day be so lucky as to find love and family and settle down, but he knew that that would never happen.

"Crystal." Crystal turned to face him. She stood close to Lorne, her hand still wrapped in his. Jack looked at her sternly. "I don't know all the details yet, but I will and I know they won't be good. Whatever they said, whatever they did, cuz, you look past them. They're not your family. They're not even our family any more. Family's much more than blood and links on a family tree. Family," he stepped forward and touched a hand to her heart, not at all bothered that she was naked for he was well used to seeing naked people, "is in here. True family loves unconditionally and stands beside one another regardless of the consequences. These people, your babies, and I are your family. The rest . . . " He shook his head. "They're just blood."

"I know," she told him, "but . . . "

He nodded understandingly. "I know it hurts, but you need to leave what's here here. If I could go with you, I would, but as you know, I can't. I live for one reason, and it takes practically all my time to fulfill that purpose." He sighed heavily. "But you know me. I'll be around and I'll be in contact every chance I get."

She nodded. "I know." She raised his necklace over her head and dropped it around his own neck. "But you'll need this, whether or not he's still alive." Her eyes searched his meaningfully.

He nodded. "I need to get back and find out what's going on. I'll be in touch soon." He hugged her tightly, Crystal's hand only then leaving Lorne's, so that she could return the hug just as tightly. They kissed each other on the cheek, and as they pulled away, Jack was already becoming transparent once more. He looked at Lorne and Angel and grinned. "I know I don't need to tell you," his eyes dropped to Blue, Cindy, and Elvira, who had pushed Donkey reluctantly off of her so that she could see him off, "to take care of her. Thank you." He vanished.

* * *

**Heaven**

A roar sounded in the room. "TRINA, FOR GOD'S SAKES, SHUT UP FOR ONCE! I CAN'T COME THERE NOW!" His words echoed around the room, and the other Angels looked anywhere but at the woman who had angered Andrew. "You can come to me! But you have to be quiet! Please!"

One second, she was with the boys, and the next, she was with Andrew. "I have to deal with this, and then you and I can have some time together to talk." He was looking through a glass and not at her. "I have to convince her. She has to go forward."

Trina whirled on Andrew. For a moment, her heart stopped in her throat. Gods, he was so handsome! He had always been a very handsome human, but as an Angel, he was even more so. His golden, winged form was so breath-taking that she could not have even dreamed him to look any better. But where had he brought her? Where were the boys? Were they all right, or were they even now being descended upon by hordes of Angels? "They'd better be all right," she growled at him.

"Of course they're all right, Trina," Andrew said in a quiet, low voice. "And what you're mouthing, I hope you don't really believe. I never once lied to you. I love you, and I always will!"

He still had not looked at her. "But I can't have you. I didn't go to Earth to play around, and you are the only woman I ever dreamed of mating with. I would never choose another. But I can not choose what I do and what I don't do."

"I have to deal with this. She has to go forward. She can't stay here, and she can't go back. If He comes because she doesn't go forward, then all Hell will break lose. I don't know why she won't listen to reason. Why are you humans so hard to deal with?"

He now turned to look at her and wiped her tears gently from her face. "The only thing I ever truly wanted was to be yours, but it wasn't meant to be. I couldn't tell you, because He wouldn't allow it. It's not the way it works. It took me forever to convince Him to let me go down there. I wanted to be there as a simple Earth man that could win your love, but yet when He finally granted it to me, I had not the foggiest idea how to do it."

"I'm as lost as Trent! I never had any female before you, and there will never be another behind you." He stood, gazing down into her face, wanting to kiss her but not daring. What would He do to her if he did touch her in Angel form? It was strictly forbidden after the last time the Angels had gotten out and the Giants had been created!

His touch sent a shudder racing through her. She didn't know how he had reached her so quickly. She hadn't meant to allow it to happen. She had meant to keep distance between them. But he had reached her before she could think, and once he was there, she couldn't tear herself away from him.

She had finally seen who he was looking at, too, and though she had been surprised, she was not surprised that he was having such trouble getting the being to go forward. She wanted to believe him, but yet why had he not tried to tell her? As long as they had been together, why had he not found a way? "You should have tried to tell me," she told him. "I couldn't just say yes willy nilly. I wanted to. But I was scared. I was scared I'd end up hurting you. I never thought you'd be the one . . . " To hurt me.

"I never wanted to hurt you, Trina." He was reading her thoughts. He wished that he could reach in, touch her heart, and take all thought of him away from her, but he didn't have that strength. He wanted some part of himself to hold memory in her, but he didn't want her heart filled with nothing but pain of his memory. He began to think about erasing her memories of him. He couldn't go back, and he didn't want her to spend her life longing passionately for him. He knew he'd do the same for her.

"Tess," he spoke to the glass window, "get Monica off the floor please! Do something with her! The part about Angels killing is true, but it's not all Angels. I've never killed any one, but I do have to take them after they die. It's my job."

"There are many classes of Angels. One of the small but more elite groups is Archangels. There's four of them. They are the major warriors. They are known by many names and have caused many deaths over the centuries. They have been known also as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but that's not truly who they are. They are God's warriors, and they have many under them."

"Once there was a great war in Heaven, and they had to cast out Lucifer and his minions. They are the killers of our people. The rest of us Angels, we just do our jobs. I knew as much about killing as Trent did. I became a Pirate, because you were a Pirate. I could have just as easily been a fisherman or any other being that you so desired."

"I would have done anything for you." He gazed down into her eyes. "But I will not continue to cause you pain. You deserve a wonderful life, Trina, richly blessed. I only regret that I can not be part of it."

"You remember Willow was killed in the battle? I brought her here. Our time is not the same. When was the battle?"

"Last night. But it feels like a lifetime since I saw you last. Andrew, there's . . . there's got to be a way. Some way. Any way. What if -- Is there a sacrifice that can be made that will allow an Angel to become mortal?" She did not have to ask to know that a mortal and an Angel could never be together. "Some sacrifice that can be given to award a second chance?"

Her words went straight to his heart, but he knew of no second chance. "Zeus doesn't give second chances," he told her. "It's hard enough to get the first chance, and he's never been known to give a second, not even to His own children."

"It's been three days and nights since the battle. Our time here is not like your time. During that time, I have done my best to argue Willow into Heaven, but she has to go willingly and she has to be happy to be there. She's not ever going to be without Kennedy. But it's not within my power to send her back. Her body was destroyed! Even if I could get permission to let her go back, she'd be a ghost, doomed to wander the earth forever or not."

"That's been done on a few occasions. Some have been simply doomed to the ocean's depths. You've heard of Davy Jones. He's condemned forever to the ocean's depths, seeking Pirate souls, but can never be free himself. He can't be killed, yet he's not alive. One of Zeus' more creative moments: a punishment too great to behold, but no choice or way out for him. He belongs more to the Devil than Zeus. He even tried to bargain what was left of his soul to the Devil for his freedom, but it didn't work."

"I have sent for higher help on Willow, but she is in my charge until they come. I want to turn her aloose, but until I receive word, she won't be and then she may never be free again."

He jerked himself away from the window and returned to look at Trina. "And you want me to ask for a second chance from a being who shows no mercy, not even to His own son? He had His own son crucified! I still find that hard to believe, but I do not question Him."

"I would question Him if I could. The Bible claims that He is a loving God, that He cares about His children, that redemption is always possible, that it's never too late . . . If it should never be too late for a . . . for a being who has raped and murdered endlessly to repent of their sins and be allowed entrance to Heaven, then why should it be too late for a second chance? Perhaps I've not always been that great a person. I've killed. I've fought. I've cussed. I've stole. I know my sins, but I'd give it all up. I . . . "

She'd even give up Carlos and Trent, she thought in this moment with Andrew gazing at her and her heart longing so desperately for him. "I know a mortal can not be with an Angel, but what of other beings, Andrew? Ghosts? Spirits?"

"He laughs at the Bible. It is full of myths and other misconceptions as perceived by mankind. Do you think a loving Father would have let His son be crucified and never lifted a single finger to help, or allowed the Angels to help, simply because He wanted to save a creation that He had made, that He could crumble in His bare hands, destroy and make a second time? Humans are creatures that entertain Him, and when He is bored, He allows one of His other sons to create wars so that He can be further entertained. Angels are only supposed to be with Angels."

He was trying desperately to keep two steps ahead of Trina but was failing miserably. His heart was too involved. He knew if he slipped up on a single answer, she'd have him, but truthfully he knew of no way that they could be together. "I am not afraid to ask him, Trina. I just don't want you to get your hopes up. He's not good on second chances. In fact, I've only known Him to give one second chance, and then it wasn't a complete second chance." He did not further elaborate as he did not like to reflect upon Hercules.

He pulled Trina close and smelled the perfume of her hair. "I will have to send you from here soon before He comes, but if He allows me to speak to you again, I will let you know. If He will not let me talk to you, I will find a way to send you a sign, but you must be patient. You can never demand anything of the Gods and expect to get it. Don't do anything foolish to harm yourself, my love."

There. He'd finally allowed himself to say what was in his heart. "All I can promise is that I will try." And, in his mind, he thought, To take your memories as quickly as I possibly can. You can not go the rest of your life, thinking of me, when I know how impossible it is. Carlos is a good man, and he will take good care of you. But he could not say that to Trina nor could he bring himself to take her memories at this time. If he failed in his request, he would ask Him to take her memories before receiving his punishment for daring to ask.

"Now I must send you and your family back. You can not be here."

She did not know when she had slipped her arms around him, but she realized as he told her that she must leave, that she was hugging him. Her face was already pressed into the side of his head, her eyes closed and wet from the tears that she had not even been aware of crying. She breathed in his scent and kissed his cheek. She had hope. She wasn't sure yet what she was going to do with it, but she had hope. Angels could be with Angels. Perhaps there was a way yet. She didn't know, nor would she until she had time to fully investigate the matter.

She pulled far enough away from him that she could bring her head around to gaze into his handsome face one last time. "I love you, Andrew, and I'm sorry I've hurt you. I know you probably thought I was thinking everything I was spouting off before you brought me here. Some of it, I was, but not all of it. I know you're better than that. But I had to get your attention. I would've done whatever it took to get it."

"And I'm sorry I didn't say yes when you asked me, but I wasn't sure that I deserved you. I still don't know if I deserve you. But I want you and I love you." She smiled sadly at him, then leaned in and kissed him before he could pull away or send her away.

"You can not kill yourself, Trina, and become an Angel. Angels are created by the Supreme Being. Remember that. Promise me that you will not harm yourself and that you will try to be patient until you hear from me. Your love thrills my soul, and I would be with you forever if I could." He gave her one last chance to give the promise he needed to hear. She had to be all right. "Keep yourself safe for me," he pleaded.

"You know a Pirate's life is never entirely safe, love," she teased gently, "but I'll do what I can and I promise I won't kill myself. Though the thought had occurred. It would end up doing Trent in, though; he'd blame himself for my suicide. You know how he is." She paused, her eyes searching his. "I need you to promise me something, too, if you will. It may be crazy. I don't know if you can do it or not, but being an Angel, well . . . It's just a guess, but are you able to alter people's memories?"

He chose to ignore the question and placed his lips gently on hers. He kissed her tenderly at first, and then as tears streamed down his face, he sent her back to Phillip along with the rest of her family. He stood with his eyes closed, relishing the taste of her upon his tongue, the taste that he thought he'd spend the rest of his life never having tasted again. He bowed his head and waited for Zeus' coming.

Trina had known that she had best pull away from Andrew's kiss, at least long enough to make him promise her that he would not mess with her memories and cause her to forget him, but she had been unable to resist the sweet nectar of her beloved's lips. Now she suddenly found herself back in Will's bedroom. "No . . . " she whispered as she looked around Will's bedroom. She took no notice of the faces of the men looking at her, nor did she know when Trent and Carlos were dropped alongside her. "No . . . Andrew, don't you dare take my memories! If I think you're trying to do it, all promises are off!"

"Promises?" Carlos asked in concern. What could Trina have promised Andrew?

"Trina?" Trent called her name, but Trina's tears had increased even more now. He reached out and pulled his sister close. When Trent did not seem able to soothe Trina's sobs, Carlos moved over and joined in the hug. Trent held Trina from the front, and Carlos held her from behind. Each man's heart grieved for her sadness, and both would have done anything to make her happy again.

It was in that moment that Carlos made a decision. It was clear to him that Trina loved Andrew, even if Angel Boy didn't deserve her any more than he did. But she loved him, and if she found a way to be with him again, Carlos would not stand in their way. He would keep the words he longed to speak to her to himself. He would keep the touches he longed to give her, the happiness, the sensuality, the pleasure he would have once begged God Himself to give him a chance to grant her, all to his dreams. He turned his sad face into her long, blonde hair and swore to keep himself to himself. Even Trent would think he had moved on. He just didn't know how yet, but no matter the way he acted, the lies he spoke, he'd never stop loving her.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	35. Chapter Thirtyfour

**Chapter Thirty-four**

**Somewhere**

Sean shook his head as though he had just woken from a dream and looked at the woman again. She was beautiful enough, but there was still something that held him back and he realized it was Em. He could no more take the hand of this bonny lass and leave Em behind than he knew that she could not leave him behind. Somewhere, in this most beautiful world, Emma was. He vowed he would find his beloved, but first he had to defeat the woman who beckoned to him like a candle to a moth. "Gi away, lass; ye bother me! Yer song entices me, but I can nae gi. Me heart belongs tae another, an' I will have nae part o' ye."

She screeched, and in the moonlight, Sean saw the beautiful woman turning into the ugliest hag he'd ever seen. Yet her fingers still reached out for him. He jumped back so fast that he backed into a tree. If she had made one more step to him, he knew he would have been lost. "In the name o' Aphrodite, be ye gone!" he screamed at the hag. Her screams echoed long after Sean could no longer see her as she faded away from sight completely, leaving only her high-pitched screams. A chill wind rushed over Sean so cold that it touched his heart, but he refused to yield.

"Em," he moaned, "I'll find ye, me love. Jest hang on an' wait fer me. I'll be there as soon as I can be." With a whistle in his tune and a livelier step to his pace, Sean turned to go in search of Em, but a loud crack suddenly filled his ears. The hillside gave way underneath him, sending him falling straight toward the river of whiskey that still gurgled . . .

Sean scrambled wildly at the hillside, but he could find nothing to gain purchase of. He was more afraid of that river of whiskey than anything he'd ever encountered before in his life, but despite his valiant fight, he landed right in the middle of it! He felt himself drowning and, even in his lost and despair, cried out for Em . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Salem skidded his paws into the dirt, coming to an abrupt stop. He looked back over his trembling shoulder. What was he doing?! He was running right back into those two fighting bulls! That would never do, yet he damn sure couldn't go forward! He'd be trampled if he went forward or backwards!

There was only one thing to do, the would-be world leader decided. He was going to have to run diagonally and hope -- no, _pray_ that he could, by some miracle, run past the end of the line of the buffalo before they could reach him and stomp his bones into the ground! He ran with everything he had in him and swore, as he ran, that if he ever managed to escape the trials alive, he would eat his weight in beef!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Kurt reappeared only to hear a huge rumbling again. He looked over his shoulder and screamed. "MEIN GOTT, LIEFERN MICH!" He bamfed again, leaving the huge stones to roll in the dark cloud of brimstone that lingered behind him. When he reappeared this time, things again seemed calm.

Kurt was taking no more chances if he could help it, however, and turned slowly around several times, his yellow eyes taking in every inch of detail that he possibly could. He appeared to be on some sort of shore. There were palm trees quite a ways in the distance in one direction, and the ocean gently lapped against the sand. Nothing seemed to be moving, and he could see no signs of life which, he tried to tell his panicked mind, meant that there was nothing there to harm him. He could relax, take a few moments, and try to calm down after everything that had just happened to him.

Kurt took one step forward, and something squished underneath his foot. He moved his foot, looked down, and saw that what he had stepped on appeared only to be a ball. He reached down and picked up the ball. He turned the object around in his three-fingered hand and almost lost what little food still remained in his system when he found himself staring directly into a pupil.

"MEIN GOTT!" he yelled, dropping the eyeball. It squished again as it hit the sand, rolled a tiny distance, and stopped with the eye looking at him. Kurt stared at it in a mix of repulsion and fear. Something may well have killed whatever the eye had come from; if that was the case, they had evidently eaten the rest of the body for Kurt could see no other signs of anything living along the shore. However, if it was not the case, then something had apparently lost its eyeball, and whatever it was would surely be along to fetch it . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Erik's face became a starch white as his oxygen was cut off and the air around them became even more chilled. A thick fog was growing now, and he knew what was coming. It was that thought that made his face grow so pale, his countless wrinkles become even more apparent, not the fact that he and Joseph were doomed to being these women's slaves, or, at least, that's what the Amazon who had his fragile neck in her arm thought.

Magnus had expected an attack from behind and, ever the devious schemer, had taken steps to prepare for just that. It was for this very reason that he had taken one sword completely out of the area of their sights, but now that blade returned, zinging through the air and embedding into the back of the woman's shoulder. She screamed and released him, dropping to her knees, and as her sisters ran to see about her, Magnus rushed to Joseph.

It was the terrified look on his little brother's face that made Erik turn around, and when he did, his knees went instantly to jelly. The men stared upward at the beings who floated in the air. They were wrapped in such darkness that no form could be made out. They merely looked like two moving black clouds, but it was the omnious feelings that radiated out from them that made the entire group know that they were alive and after them. One stretched out a gnarled hand toward Erik, and he knew they only had a split second at best.

"What the Hades are those things?!" one of the Amazons cried out amongst the screams that were raising from her sisters, her sisters who normally never screamed.

As the Amazons stared at the Dementors, trying to decide whether to stay and try to fight or to run for their lives, Magnus returned the metal objects he had taken to their owners, grasped Joseph's hand, and fled, pulling his brother after him. He did not dare to look back, and Joseph quickly looked ahead when he saw a Dementor lift an Amazon to it . . . He shuddered, and the brothers doubled their speed without a word.

* * *

**A Forest**

Spot came as close to the branch as he could with his head, and Ace began to yell Kat's name. He hoped his poor darling did not faint and fall off the branch as Spot's head was massive and knew it must be monstrous coming straight at her, but he knew no other way to reach her. "KAT, DARLING! CLIMB ABOARD!" He grinned impishly, hoping she'd see him.

As soon as Ace had first started calling for Kat, she had tried to get another look at the ground, but the huge, scaly body of the T. Rex was blocking her vision. "ACE!" she had screamed. "GET AWAY FROM HERE!" Then had came his call to climb aboard. Her brow drew down in confusion, and she slowly looked up. Her mouth fell open again. Then she found her voice. "ACE, WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL ARE YE DIIN' UP THERE?!"

"BEING SAFE FROM THINGS DOWN THERE!" he told her. "SOMETHING'S GOT THOSE ANIMALS CRAZY! YOU CAN'T REASON WITH THEM! I TOLD SPOT NOT TO KILL THEM, BUT THEY'RE BITING HIS LEGS! IF THEY MANAGE TO PULL HIM DOWN, I'M NOT GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HE DOES TO THEM! A T. REX ON THE GROUND IS NOT A GOOD THING!" He reached a hand forward and leaned out as far as he dared, waiting for Kat to reach to him.

Kat stared at Ace in shock. She knew the wolves must be under some kind of spell, but surely a T. Rex was not any safer?! Yet Ace was riding this one and clearly considered him an alley! She stared into her partner's face. She trusted him. She had for years trusted him with her life, and more importantly, those of her -- _their_ children. She stretched a hand out toward him. She strained with every bit of her strength and length and the tips of her fingers had barely managed to brush Ace's when teeth again sank into her legs, snatched her, and ripped her away from him.

"I'M PULLING OUT THE STOPS!" Ace told Spot. "KNOCK A FEW MORE OF THE BASTARDS OUT!" Spot began his game again, twirling on the ground like a whirling dervish, knocking and whacking wolves. Ace couldn't figure why the wolves kept getting up and coming again. It was the first time in his life with her that Kat had not been able to not only talk to but control the animals; he knew something was definitely wrong with them. Again, Spot came to a standstill beside the branch, lowering his head as far as he dared to keep from tumbling forward and allowing Ace to reach out for Kat once more. "JUMP, DARLING; I'LL CATCH YOU!"

One of the wolves Spot had knocked had slammed into the wolf that had been on her legs. The impact had knocked him off but had also came dangerously close to breaking her grip entirely. As soon as she had managed to regain her grasp on the branch, she had clambered up and was holding to the trunk, waiting, when the T. Rex again came to a stop beside the tree and Ace reached for her once more. She took a deep breath and leapt, her arms reaching out in front of her for Ace. She would never have trusted any other human to catch her.

Ace caught his beloved and let her slide down his body, sniffing her all the way. Her delicious scent filled his nose. Gods, how he had longed to hold her, and those damned wolves had almost ate her! He had to keep reminding himself that the wolves were not at fault and something was wrong with them or else he would have unleashed Spot.

Kat's face pressed against Ace's, and her arms clung to him. She hoped he did not feel her trembling, but she had not been as scared as the wolves had made her in years. At least, last night, she had been determined to fight the Ice Elemental, even if she wouldn't have stood a chance against him, but even if the wolves had pulled her down into their midst, she still would have been incapable of fighting them.

Ace nuzzled her and held her trembling body close to his, running his hands gently up and down her back. He'd never tell her that he felt her trembling, but his bare hands itched to choke whoever had caused those wolves to go rabid. He had not been able to hear the words that they were snarling and snapping at Kat as he was too high up, but when Spot had lowered his head, he could have sworn that he had heard one of the wolves cussing Aslan and laughing about Kat evidently declaring herself as a friend of the idiot lion's. What animal would ever dare to spit on Aslan? Didn't they adore their King? He did.

He shook his head. Something was not right, or else those were shapechangers and not actual wolves. Without closer examination, he could not tell the difference, but he did know that they had to get out of here and right now! He pulled Kat onto his lap and held her close as he returned to his perch. "SPOT, GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE," he told him, "AND DON'T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU!"

Spot took off running as best he could. When was the monkey going to feed him?! "WE'RE GOING TO GET FOOD NOW, SPOT." He wondered what the T. Rex would consider food other than meat, because he had no intention of killing anything or allowing him to kill anything.

Would it eat bananas? Were there bananas even here on this island? "LOOK FOR A TREE WITH SOMETHING YELLOW ON IT. LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU FIND IT." Spot tried to reason this out. It must be some kind of new, strange animal that clung to trees; it was going to be his dinner. He wondered what it was.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Emma landed on something hard but not as hard as a flooring or ground. Darkness surrounded her, and there was not a single hint of light to be found. She felt beneath her, and her heart shot into her throat as she touched a cold, lifeless body. She continued to feel, her fingers inching, in growing dread, across the familiar muscles, familiar chest, familiar shoulders, familiar _face_ . . . "_Sean!_" she cried out despite herself. "No! NO! It can not be!"

Torches suddenly flared on the surrounding walls, and Emma looked down through tears at the face of the man she loved, the man whom she had believed dead for centuries and only just been reunited with . . . "It's a trick! It's got to be a trick!"

"Go ahead and try to make yourself believe that, if you must, Emma," the voice of Adrienne Frost reverberated through the room, "but it'll do you no good. You claim not to be ashamed of anything you've done, but what of these lives _you_ have caused to be lost? Sean's not alone, Emma. Look around! Look around and see the destruction _you've_ caused!"

Emma looked. Through the tears that poured from her eyes and continued to increase steadily, she peered around the room. The stench of death filled her nose, and the sight she took in made her tremble and shake. It couldn't be! It couldn't be!

Sean was only the one who mattered the most to her in the sea of bodies that surrounded her, but they were all here. Every body whose life she'd ever taken, every corpse whose life she'd ever caused to be taken, some she hadn't caused, and even some who she did not recognize filled every inch of the room. They were all here. Sean; her students, both teams of them; the Piratesses from the Saucy Wench; the beings she'd killed in battle; all the way to her parents and, before them, the others who had been trapped in the same asylum she'd been locked away in as a child and the guards from that asylum . . . They were all here.

It couldn't be! Yet it was for she could see them with her own eyes and feel them with her own hands . . . Emma sobbed, and then the scream that had been building within her ever since she'd looked down into Sean's lifeless face erupted. Her scream echoed through the room and far beyond . . .

* * *

**The Beach**

Wesley awoke and found that he was so wet and hot he could hardly breathe. He tried to get to his feet but realized that, while he had been out, his bulk had increased even more. He crawled over to a tree and began to try to pull himself up. It took him several tries over quite some time before he finally succeeded in getting himself to a standing position. His first steps were wobbly, and he felt like he would fall down. He thought the feeling would pass with more walking, but it continued regardless of how many steps he took.

Where was he? Was this beach the shore of the island, or was he somewhere else? Why had every one ran off and left him alone? "Jasmine?" he called her name. He thought he had been talking to her a few minutes before he had passed out. He had no idea as to what had caused him to pass out or to feel so weak that he already wanted to sink back down onto the ground. He raised his voice again, hopefully calling the blonde woman's name. "Jasmine? Anybody?" But all was quiet.

As he continued to walk, he began to realize just how quiet everything was. There were no chirping crickets or calls from night birds; even the dinosaurs were quiet. The only sound was the gentle lapping of the moon-lit water onto the shore. It was too quiet. Either something was already with him or something was coming, and it had scared all the wildlife into silence.

He wished he could hide himself or somehow make himself small enough that he would not be noticed. He felt as huge as a mountain. Looking down at himself in the moonlight, he realized that something was horribly wrong with him for his stomach had now blimped to three times the size it had been when he had fallen unconscious.

He was walking in the direction the house would be if this was the island he hoped it to be. He wanted to call out for help but dared not lest the sound of his voice call the creature closer to him. He hoped that he would find help before the beast found him but was beginning to doubt it for, no matter how fast he strained to go, he remained crawling at the pace of a turtle.

His brain screamed at him to hurry. His body ached to hurry but also to slump to the ground and rest. Regardless of his every sense screeching at him to hurry if he wanted to live, he was not able to move any faster than a waddle. He did not recall ever being this slow, weak, or heavy!

In desperation, he began to call out again. "Help me! Please, somebody help me! Jasmine? Captain Jack? Xena? Some one? Any one? Please, somebody, help me!" Silence remained his only answer.

He ached to rest, to slow down for just a moment, but he knew he could not. He pushed himself ever more, but still he remained slow, slower even, he thought with a grimace, than Jasmine's brain. He could barely even hear the ocean now, and the moon had slid behind a cloud. Whatever was coming was closer. He could feel it though he had yet to see any sign of it, and his every sense screamed even louder at him to run. He could not, though, and all he could do was continue to scream for help and push himself along the pathway.

He received no warning. The brush did not even rustle, but suddenly, the creature was upon him. Its huge form fell upon him, knocking him to the ground. He screamed as he fell but raised his fists in feeble hopes of defending himself. He screamed again as razor-sharp claws sliced his hands off and then turned to ripping into his stomach. It began clawing savagely at his gut, and then Wesley's scream increased even more as it began biting his stomach.

What had remained of his clothes were already gone, and the monster's fangs made short work of what little flesh its claws had left. Soon, his stomach was open, and it continued to feed on him. Wesley's scream reverberated through the air, but he heard no sounds of any one coming to his rescue. The crew mates he had thought of as family and friends were nowhere to be found. They had deserted him, and now he was dying. He continued to scream until his mind slipped into darkness . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Wolf had some time ago washed up upon a shore, but still he continued to howl at the awful stink that seemed to be on every inch of his body. He ran blindly until he ran into a rock that was in the shape of the man who his prey had grabbed to keep from falling. He knocked himself cold.

When he woke up, there was the man, looking down at him in disgust. Wolf sat up groggily. He sniffed the man and discovered that the rock was and yet was not the man as it looked but did not smell like him. He hiked his leg and let rip. There, Jareth, that's what I think of you! the wolf seemed to say.

He then loped off in another direction, hunting for something to get into or, failing that, something to eat. He longed for fresh Spring lamb but knew the whole while that he'd never find any in this black hole of a place, and even if he did, they'd smell him and run before he ever got there. He never once looked back at the now-dripping Jareth.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Shadowcat stopped suddenly and held a finger to her nose. She looked pointedly at both Rachel and Lockheed, whose brows were furrowed in concern. There were voices up ahead, voices that sounded familiar to all three sets of ears. They started to slowly and quietly go closer, and Kitty froze as the voices raised and they were suddenly able to make them out clearly.

"NYET! MY KATYA LOVES ME MORE!"

"YOU'RE WRONG, TIN CAN! PRYDE DOESN'T LOVE EITHER ONE OF US ANY MORE! SHE'S MOVED ON A THIRD TIME!"

"IT'S NOT LIKE SHE CAN HELP IT!" a female voice told the two men. "SHE DIDN'T ASK TO FALL IN LOVE, AND SHE _DID_ FIGHT IT!"

"NOT LONG ENOUGH!" the British voice snapped.

"JA! NEITHER TIME, LITTLE SISTER, DID SHE FIGHT IT ENOUGH!"

The Russian voice lowered, and Kitty could no longer make out what Piotr was saying. She could not believe what she had heard, and she stood rooted to the spot and paler than a ghost. Rachel caught Kitty's elbow and tried to pull her in a different direction. "Come on," she whispered urgently. "We don't have to go that way! Let's go this way!" She could not move Kitty, however.

Lockheed cooed and butted his head against Kitty's side. He, too, was trying to send her away from the three voices they had just heard, but Kitty refused to give in to either. She slowly shook her head, but it was some time before she managed to find her voice. "No."

"What do you mean no?!"

"Coo coo!"

"I said no." She looked at her two best friends with gratitude shining past the fear, concern, and worry in her wet, brown eyes. "I appreciate it, guys, but I have to do this. You can't tell me that that's not my test up ahead."

"If you don't take the test, you can't fail it!"

"I can if I don't try! Besides," Kitty looked into Rachel's green eyes, "do you really think I can't win?"

"Kitty, that's Peter and Wisdom! You shouldn't have to face your dead husbands!"

"I shouldn't," Kitty agreed, "but I have to. For whatever reason, that's my test, and I have to go ahead with this, Ray." She cupped Rachel's face in her hand. "I appreciate the concern, but I have to. Stay here and look after 'Heed for me."

There were tears of concern in Rachel's emerald eyes, but she nodded nonetheless. "All right."

Kitty looked to 'Heed, who looked as though he would do anything, even possibly burn her to a crisp, to force her to stay. She shook her head again and placed a gentle hand on his head. She scratched him lovingly as she told him, "I have to do this, 'Heed. Keep an eye on Rachel for me."

Catching Ray's glance, Lockheed nodded reluctantly. "Coo coo." He pouted, but Kitty pretended not to notice.

Shadowcat turned and started to walk toward where the voices had come from. She paused and looked back at Rachel and Lockheed who were still where she had left them. "And no following me, you two. Promise." When they had both nodded, Kitty turned around once more, and Shadowcat headed out.

Lockheed and Rachel looked at each other, then looked after Kitty. As soon as she had vanished from their sight, they both started to inch silently forward . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Jack coughed. He felt as though he was about to retch up his entire stomach, but all that came up was water. Nasty water. When he finally stopped and his stomach felt empty, he opened his eyes. "Is this Hell?" he croaked.

Elizabeth screeched for joy, and Didymus yipped just as happily. Tears ran down Will's face as he stroked Jack's face, forehead, and hair.

"It can't be. Chocolate brown eyes . . . " His voice trailed off. He was so very weak, but those eyes! He had opened his own, gazed into them, and knew he had to be in Heaven.

"If this is Hell," Will breathed, his voice shaking almost as much as his heart pounded, "there's no place I'd rather be as long as you're here with me."

Wolverine sat back on his heels, watching his son. Was he the only one who caught the reference to the chocolate brown eyes? He was thrilled that Jack was going to be okay, but he still vowed to pay the Council back. He had never thought of Will as having chocolate brown eyes, but then he wasn't in love with the boy. Was that the one thing that had actually brought Jack back? If it was, then he knew his son was truly in love, because only love would have brought him back.

Elizabeth placed one comforting hand on Will's shoulder and her other on Wolverine's though she expected that the first did not currently know she was even in the world and the latter would shove it off at any second. "Yes, Jack," she answered the comment he'd made about the chocolate brown eyes, "Will is right here."

Didymus looked on happily. He was now quiet, but he had done a goodly piece of work this night. He had helped to save their dear Captain, and he knew Jareth would be proud. His tail wagged slowly as he imagined the praise Jareth would heap upon him once he was reunited with his dear King. He was glad he had been able to help.

Wolverine reached up and gripped Elizabeth's hand. This night, he had gained another daughter, though he would not dare broach the subject with Elizabeth, not yet. "Thank ya," he told both of them quietly although he knew Will did not hear him. "Sometimes, a cool head is much better'n brawn," he told Elizabeth. He was rather proud of her and still surprised that she'd come to commandeer the situation. The things that Elizabeth had accomplished this night had simply blown Wolverine away! How had the quiet, little mouse become a roaring lioness?

Elizabeth looked down at where Wolverine's hand gripped hers in surprise. She had not imagined his words, she realized; he had thanked her. She smiled, tears of relief and happiness shining in her eyes, but did not speak for fear of ruining the moment.

* * *

**A Cavern**

Spike's arms were still wrapped around his beloved wife in a tight, comforting embrace and he was still stroking her softly and murmuring soothing sounds of, "It wasn't him, luv," and "It'll be all right, beloved," and, "It's gonna turn out okay, pet," when sudden movement behind her caught his eyes. He turned his head to look and swallowed hard at what he saw. There, standing just a few feet behind Kyna and looking directly at him, was a new Vamp. A Vampiress, to be more exact.

Kyna knew the very second her husband's attention became diverted, and as she felt him tense, she suddenly became calm. Her face, which only a heartbeat before had been haunted by deep, wretched despair, became instantly like a placid, tranquil lake with its only ripples being slight ones of curiosity. "William?" She began to ease out of his loving embrace. "What is it, ai?" Leaving the safety of his arms, she turned and saw what appeared to be a little girl. Kyna's almond eyes instantly darted back to her husband, and she placed a staying hand on his chest. "I'll deal with this one."

"No," he spoke quietly, gently lifting her hand from his chest. Though he lightly kissed her knuckles, sending a delightful chill through both of them, his eyes never left the Vampiress before them. Clothed in a white dress decorated to the nines with frills, bows, and laces; long, white stockings; and black shoes that he knew how they'd gotten their brilliant shine, she looked more like an innocent, little girl dressed in her Sunday best and waiting expectantly to go to church than she did anything even remotely close to the soulless, blood-sucking fiend she truly was.

Her long, blonde hair framed the face he continued to stare at through black eyes widened with shock. Hers was the face of a golden Angel of a little girl. The face of his baby sister. His baby sister, who he had, at one time, thought the world of though he had, several centuries ago, been the one to make the light in her eyes die.

His hands clenched, and his eyes saddened in remembrance of the night he'd killed her as he stepped past Kyna. He walked past his lady love, only vaguely aware of her gentle reminder that the creature before them was no more his sister than the Vampire she'd killed only a very brief time before had been her Sheng, and opened himself for the creature's attack.

* * *

**Rogue & Joseph's Bedroom**

She had been crying for what felt like an eternity, and still tears slipped from her eyes. She had no idea where she was, and she didn't care. She only knew that Willow was gone, and she wanted to be with her. Rogue had been trying to talk to her, trying to comfort her, but no one could comfort her now, not now, not when she had lost her entire world.

That magical redhead _was_ her whole world. She loved Willow with her whole heart, and now her whole heart ached with a pain even beyond what she'd felt when the six-armed bitch from the night she'd lost Willow had cut off her arms. No pain could compare to this, and only reuniting with Willow could ease her pain.

She wished she could avenge her beloved's death, but she knew that it was a pointless mission. If even Willow, with all her powerful magick, had been unable to do anything against the evil Ice Demon, she knew she'd be helpless against him. Why bother to wait to be reunited with her lover when she could find her again a lot faster? Surely Willow awaited her in the land beyond? Surely, when she breathed her last, her lover would come to her and they would be together again?

Sobbing quietly, the brunette lifted her head and looked around. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes several times, trying to clear her vision at least enough that she could see her surroundings. She was on a strange bed in a room she did not recognize. But there was a sword in the corner of the room, and she was alone.

There was no one here to stop her from going to her beloved Willow. Kennedy rose from the bed and stumbled toward the sword. As soon as she reached the sword, she lifted it, slid it out of its scabbard, and tossed the scabbard to the floor. Without any hesitation, she aimed the blade for her heart and thrust it forward. She did not scream as it pierced her flesh.

"I'm coming, Will," she whispered through sobs. "Forgive me, love. I know you wouldn't want me to do this, but I'm not staying in a world without you. You are _my_ world, and I'm coming home to you." She began to thrust the blade further into her body and never screamed.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sam suddenly orbed back in. "I can orb home," he told the others, "but I can't take Faith out. She has to remain for the rest of her trial. Do any of you want to return to the house, or will you stay and stand beside Faith?"

Dawson looked at Sam. "You know I will stay beside her. I will not ever leave her willingly." He stroked Faith's face gently.

Sam looked at the other two questioningly.

Hansel was still gazing into Chong's eyes. "I have to stay, Chong; you know that. I can't leave her, not when she needs help. I'll understand if you want to go, though." He knew he would not leave him, however.

"I'd never even think of it," Chong told Hansel. "I'll never leave your side again." He touched Hansel's face lovingly. "We've been too long apart. She's part of your family." He felt Dawson's eyes on him, on his face, and he looked at the boy. "She's like his baby sister."

Dawson accepted a new family member. Did the love ever cease to grow in the new family he had? It filled his heart with a sense of warmth and gladness and comforted him despite the fact that he knew not what would happen next.

Hansel was also lovingly touching Chong's face but let him look toward Dawson. When the kid settled, Hansel gently brought Chong's face back to look into his eyes. "You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that, my love. I know I was a fool." He shook his head disappointedly.

"I don't know what happened to me, and I'm more sorry for it than words can ever say. But I'll never leave you again. I love you!" He leaned forward and kissed Chong's lips. He had missed the taste of him; even on occasion when kissing Derek, he had remembered the salty, sweet taste of Chong's lips and longed for his taste again.

Chong returned his kiss, and Dawson adverted his eyes. He needed no other proof that Hansel was not interested in Faith. These two appeared to be in as much love as he and Faith. He settled down beside Faith to wait until she opened her eyes, his sword within easy reach if he needed it.

* * *

**Kents' Farm**

"Isn't it enough you raped me?! Do you have to lie to my parents too?!"

"I never -- !" As soon as Lex found his voice, it left him again. He rose his hand to his mouth and wiped away the blood that was spilling from his mouth. He didn't know how many places he was bleeding from, but he felt as though Jonathan and Martha had pummeled him almost to death. His physical pain could not even begin to compare to the pain that was now filling his breaking heart. "I don't understand, Clark!" he sobbed. "You've always said you love me! Why'd you come to me if you didn't?!"

"I didn't come to you! You stole me from my room," Clark told him. "You attacked me, Lex! You -- " He sobbed loudly, and the heart-wrenching sound that left his love's lips tore even more at Lex's heart. "How could you?! I thought you were my friend, but you're only a Luthor! You're even _worse_ than your _father_!"

Lex shook his head, trying to clear the blood from his eyes. This couldn't be _his_ Clark saying these awful things! It couldn't be! "Clark, you said you loved me more than anything in the world, that I was your everything! I've always loved you! How can you lay there and deny me, deny everything we've felt for each other all our lives?!"

"I never felt anything for you except pity!" Clark spat at him. "I tried to be your friend, because you wanted one so badly and I thought you weren't like your father and deserved one! But I was wrong! So completely wrong! You are filth! You are vermin! You are _below_ both that and everything else nasty, wicked, disgusting!" Clark vehemently attacked Lex, getting to his feet and heading toward Lex. "You should be ashamed of yourself, coming here, pretending to be my friend, and then attacking me, _raping_ me!!!!!"

Jonathan was quiet, but his quick eyes kept watching Lex and Clark. "My son doesn't lie," he finally told Lex. "You're a liar, just like your father! A no-good, sorry cheat just out to get what you can get, and now you've attacked my son! YOU RAPED HIM!" He used the two-by-four to snatch the pitchfork out of Lex's shaking hands and threw it across the barn. He leapt toward Lex. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR THAT!!!!!!"

Lex darted out from underneath Jonathan and jumped out of the hayloft. He hit the ground hard, rolled to his feet, and ran.

Martha screamed behind Lex. "GET OUT OF MY BARN! GET OFF OF MY LAND! AND DON'T YOU EVER LET ME SEE YOU NEAR CLARK AGAIN, OR I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!"

Lex ran blindly, the Kents' yells and Clark's sobs and cries haunting him every step of the way. He did not know where he was going, but he had to get away from the Kents. This was his worst nightmare come to life! He had lost Clark! In fact, Clark had no memory of their love! Lex had become the beast his father had always told him he would, and the only thing that Lex could do now was run away!

He headed in the direction to where he knew his estate lay. He didn't know if Lionel was home or not, but it didn't matter. He had to get somewhere safe. He had to think! Somehow, the Kents had brainwashed Clark, and he had to save his poor, lost love! But he had to get his brain back together again.

They had attacked him and called him the most horrible things! How could he ever prove to them that they were wrong and that Clark truly was his love? How could he remind Clark that he did love him? What if he couldn't? What if Clark really did hate him? But then why had he acted and said that he loved him so throughout all the years they'd spent together?

Lex had no idea how he was going to fix things between Clark and himself, but he had to. Somehow, some way, by some miracle, he had to! He had no reason to live if he couldn't . . .

* * *

**The North Pole**

Prue pulled her cloak off and handed it to Crys. She knew Crys was not wanting to stand there, nude, in front of everybody, but she had not thought of it sooner. Now she, too, added her voice to Cole's, calling Phillip. She wondered what was keeping the little Demon.

Unable to feel the temperatures, Crystal had not realized that she was naked until Prue handed her her cloak. She took it hurriedly with a murmured, "Thank you," and a blush staining her cheeks an even darker red (at least, it appeared darker in contrast to the rest of her body which was still blue) than Clark's blush that was still firmly in check. She wrapped it around herself and dared not meet any one's gaze. She couldn't believe she had been standing there naked! She looked at Blue and whispered, "Why didn't you tell me?"

The little dragon lifted his shoulders and wings in a shrug. "Coo coo."

Crystal sighed, rolled her eyes, and shook her head, but yet she smiled. She didn't know how she managed to continue being blessed with miracles each time she believed she was in the last seconds of her life, but she was thankful for them and even more thankful that her family had lived through the battle. She dared not believe that Frostbite was truly gone, however, not until Jack brought back news of whatever he found when he returned to the village.

Clark sighed exasperatedly. Phillip seemed determined not to answer them! "Phillip, I don't know why you're ignoring us, but if you can hear us, we're ready to go home!" The words were no sooner out of the young man's mouth than a golden portal, in a form identical to Phillip's except for the coloration, appeared.

"Phillip?" Cole asked, peering anxiously at the golden mirror. "Why are you golden?" He wasn't about to let any one step foot into that portal until he knew, for a fact, that it was Phillip!

Angel had scooped Delvira up and was holding her gently. She seemed to be in a very deep sleep. He, too, peered anxiously at Phillip.

Phoebe's eyes shone with excitement when she heard a voice calling from the other side of the mirror. "Guys, can you hear us yet? He keeps muttering about not being able to talk to you and having to wait for you to say the words. Did you say them yet?"

"Yes, you moron," a rather ticked voice told Joxer, "they finally spoke the words. Now they can come through! Really, _mortals_!"

"Don't call my Joxxy a moron, you stupid mirror!" Phoebe exclaimed, rushing forward. "And we're not all mortals any way so that just goes to show what you don't know!" She gave Phillip a raspberry.

Cole was insistent upon being the last one. He kept a constant vigil. Everything went fine until it was Crys and Lorne's time, and he noticed that they had held back too. He looked at Crys questioningly.

Crystal met Cole's gaze, her chin lifted in determination. She knew Lorne would insist upon staying until she jumped. They could jump together, but there wasn't room for three. Her babies had gone just ahead and Cole had just finished pushing Donkey through along with Elvira before looking questioningly at them. "Go ahead," she told him. "We'll follow. If there's any trouble, you'll hear us and can come back."

Cole shook his head but knew better than to argue with Crys. "You jump; I'll shimmer at the same time." He hoped she wouldn't try to argue with that.

She studied him with a raised brow. "I trust your word, Cole," she told him and, hand in hand with Lorne, jumped.

Cole shimmered simultaneously, never realizing that another being came through Phillip behind him until he reached the other side and heard Phillip screaming. "THERE'S SOMETHING COMING THROUGH ME! THERE'S SOMETHING COMING THROUGH ME!"

**To Be Continued . . . **


	36. Chapter Thirtyfive

**Chapter Thirty-five**

**The Island**

Janeesa and Robbie were returning to the island where they had left the Pirates after their rescue. Herbert had remained behind to keep a watchful eye on what Janeesa had discovered that had now made her heart be full in anger. Her father was a fool, and his latest escapade only stood to prove that more! Janeesa had thought that they had rescued all of the Pirates, but when she, Herbert, and Robbie had returned home, they had found out that some of the merpeople had captured a prisoner and now had him locked up and waiting to be the official sacrifice for their yearly Festival of the Gods. He was human, and her father had every intention of sacrificing a human to his Gods!

She was so angry that her tail whipped fiercely through the water. She had to reach the Pirates. She had to find the females she had talked to that night! They would know what to do to rescue the human! She was more than willing to lead the rescue party. In fact, she knew she would have to in order for them to be able to breathe under the water, but there was no way Janeesa would ever stand for any human to be sacrificed.

For the most part, her people looked down their perky noses at humans, but Janeesa had always been fascinated by them. She would no more harm them than she would the other fish in the vast ocean. They were not her enemy, especially not the three she had actually spoken to. Her anger spurred her on to the point that Robbie was having a hard time keeping up with her.

* * *

**A Shore**

As Sir Didymus stood, looking on as Will, Wolverine, and Elizabeth began to help Jack first to sit up and then to get to his feet, he paid rapt attention to their surroundings. The predators were still going at it in the water that was quickly filling with blood, and his sharp ears could clearly hear each snap, snarl, bite, and gallup that was made as they ate each other. The others were barely beginning to help Jack to his feet when Didymus heard a faint mewing. He turned, his keen eyes sweeping first the shore and then, as the mewing grew louder, the ocean. His one eye shot as wide as the patch that covered his other, and he yelped. "My Gods! There's a wee one out there!"

Raising his sword high, Didymus barked out. "Never fear, little one! Sir Didymus is here!" It might be a cat but it still needed help, and so he, being the brave Knight that he was, would rush to its rescue, save it, and cleave the beasts away! He heard the others calling after him and questioning about where the meowing was coming from and whether or not there was truly a cat caught amongst all the battling predators, but he neither slowed nor granted them any attention. Reaching the water, he dove in with no regard for his own safety.

* * *

**Somewhere**

He ran as though his life depended on it, his tongue hanging out in a most undignified way and panting like a dog's. It had been years since he had ran this fast and far in such a short amount of time, and yet they were still close behind him. He could tell from the way the earth trembled as he ran, and still he pushed himself forward. He had to lose them. He had to escape them or there would be no chance for he or his men to be freed!

He had to do this! Salem reminded himself yet again. He couldn't take the herd on and win. Hell, without his magic or even a human body, he couldn't even take _one_ bull on and win. He had no choice but to outrun them, and no matter how hot or tired he grew, no matter how much his heart felt like it was going to leap out of his throat and spin across the desert ground, he had to outrun them! For himself. For his men. For the people who had put such trust in him and were risking life, limb, and love in hopes of saving he and his people. Like Faith.

If she was here, these bulls would regret it! But where was she? he wondered. Where could she be in this nightmare of a land, and what were those idiots on the Council doing to her? She had just barely survived the Hellish encounters with Judson, Lilah, and the evil Piratesses, and now . . . Now what was being done to her? What was she being pushed through this time? Where was she?

She'd save him, Salem knew, if only he could find her! He raised his head and sniffed the air. There were so many scents, and all carried their own varied brands of panic and angst with them. But there! There, on the breeze from the West, was that Faith? He sniffed again. No, just the kid. His green eyes shot wide as he turned in the scent's direction and it became stronger. Faith was with Dawson! Or Dawson was with Faith, more apt.

Salem started running in their direction, and still the herd remained hot on his tail . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

The three women gazed down at their fallen comrade with great concern showing in their eyes. Xena and Gabrielle looked to each other, both wondering the same thing. Had they been in time, or was it too late? Ororo was breathing, but she'd shown no signs of returning to them. Piper's eyes never moved from Ororo. She wanted to sit upon the ground and pull her godmother into her arms, but she feared what her hands might do and kept them clenched before her as she prayed.

Finally, after what seemed to the trio like a lifetime, Ororo's head began to turn from side to side. Her eyes did not open, and she made no sound. Inwardly, however, she was screaming at the monster inside her head. It would not be silenced, though, and when her blue eyes flew open, she flung herself upwards into the air.

"RUN! HIDE!" she yelled to those she had sensed nearby her when she'd came around. "YOU MUST COVER YOURSELF AND NOT COME OUT FOR ANY -- "

Her words broke off. Piper stared up at her godmother. "Auntie 'Ro?" she asked uncertainly, fear and concern shining in her brown eyes and her forehead creased by confusion. The sky was swiftly darkening, and an enormous clap of thunder drowned out her aunt's next words.

* * *

**The Island**

They approached the island cautiously, and Janeesa knew that she would probably have to get out and walk upon the land to find her new friends. Find them, she would. They must know, and they must save that poor male human! She had already attempted to break him free from his prison, and her father had beaten her for her efforts. Her face was bruised from his strong, right fist. She had had beatings from him before but none quite so soundly. He recalled his words, that he would beat the human-loving part of her, but she knew that no matter how much he beat her, she would still love her friends, especially her golden Angel. She could hardly wait to meet him and hoped that her new friends would introduce them.

As she raised her head above the water, she heard screams, and she trembled. Robbie blocked her from the island. Something horrible was going on, and he had no intention of her getting into the middle of it! She heard a human voice calling for help, and all of her instincts made her want to go to help him, but her fear of the unknown kept her where she was, safe in the water. She drew close enough that she could see something attacking something but couldn't make out what it was.

Then she saw movement to the right, and there appeared some one she had not seen before . . .

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

As Phillip's panicked words screeched the room, every one turned to face him. The Pirates in the room wore looks that ranged from concern and worry to pure terror. "Well, don't let 'em, whatever it is!" Joxer told Phillip as though it was the most obvious solution in the world. Crystal rushed toward the mirror, and ice began springing up from the floor in its attempt to separate the others from the mirror.

Carlos had found himself gazing into Trent's blue eyes until all the shouting suddenly erupted. The trio parted, the men looking nervously away from each other, before all three turned their gazes to the mirror. Trina sniffled, began quickly wiping her tears away, and tried to stop more from falling. Trent placed a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder but remained ready to pounce into attack mode at any time.

Carlos moved to the bed and picked up another sword. He wanted to return to the Malloys but waited to see if the weaponry would truly be needed. If it would, he had to be able to toss a blade to each of them. Trina was excellently skilled in a variety of weapons that eclipsed both his and Trent's training. Trent could use a sword but preferred using his own body, but if the enemy was as great as the mirror seemed to think it, he was going to need a sword . . . regardless of whether or not he wanted one.

Cindy roared and leapt over the ice that was beginning to come up from the floor. She landed smoothly beside Crystal, and Elvira followed suit. Blue winged his way to them with a cooing call.

Delvira's black eyes snapped open. She looked dazedly around the room from where she was being held in some one's strong arms. "Wha -- ? What's going on?"

Autolycus' eyes grew larger as he watched to see what was coming out of the mirror. What would possibly come through that mirror from the icy cold regions of the North Pole? Could it be _Him_ coming after them?

Angel laid Delvira on the bed and turned to face the mirror. He knew she was not recovered enough yet to fight whatever was coming through. That left him the strongest person in the room. He moved closer to Phillip and watched in amazement as a form began to take shape. He breathed a sigh of relief that it was not him.

Clark, too, let out a sigh from where he stood at the ready next to Angel. He relaxed his guard and waited for the creature to clear the mirror so that he could ask to see his beloved Lex and make certain everything was all right with his love.

Lorne reached out and pulled Crys back to him as a tiny creature slithered into the room. He wanted to ask, "What is it?", but his voice had not returned.

Eddie had been staring holes in the mirror, wondering whether he should turn around and give it the hoof treatment. Instead, his ears perked forward as he recognized the creature. It was the same tiny fellow he had talked to before, but he couldn't remember what it had said it was. "What are _you_ doing here?" Eddie asked him.

Crys had been too surprised to make much of a protest when Lorne had snatched her back. When Phillip had screamed that there was something coming through him, she had been able to only think of Frostbite. Never would she have thought that one of the animals might follow her. Her eyes remained on him as she awaited his answer to Eddie's question, and her ice disappeared as she realized that there was no threat coming.

"Euuw! Euuw! Get it off of me! Get it off of me!"

"I'm not getting it off of you!" Phoebe told the mirror. "I'm not touching that disgusting thing!"

The tiny, white snake hung its head. "Really, you two!" Crystal scolded. "There's nothing wrong with it! It's neither slimy nor disgusting -- "

Crystal's words were interrupted by a loud meow. She turned to see a tabby cat springing from the bed and pouncing toward the snake. She moved swiftly, lifting the tiny snake with gentle hands from the mirror's base before the cat could reach it. "And, whoever _you_ are," she told the cat, "he is not food!"

"Mrrw?" Willow questioned the foolish woman even as he sat down, his tail swishing wildly and thumping the floor angrily. He had not been the one to make such a fuss over the creature. They had awakened him with their panick, and he had merely been about to put an end to what they were all carrying on about as though it was a giant rat. He looked at the tiny snake and made a face. It wasn't as though he had _wanted_ to eat it. After all, it would have probably frozen his entire mouth and tasted absolutely awful to boot!

She then raised the snake to where she could look at it eyeball to eyeball. "But what _are_ you doing here, little one?"

"It's not the only one," a soft voice spoke up from the bed. Delvira looked at Autolycus, who had been staring holes in her since Angel, who she still wondered how he, of all beings, had been the one to end up carrying her, had lain her on the bed. Her black eyes glared at him, and she rearranged the skirt of her dress. "Snap your eyes back into their sockets," she snapped at him low enough that the other humans could not hear them, "or you might lose one of them."

Autolycus turned his eyes quickly back to Phillip as he saw another animal coming through. A small arctic fox. He wasn't about to reach out and grab it. He had never been too good with animals. "Why are these animals following y'all?" he asked Crys.

Eddie peered intently at the fox. "They claim they know Crys, and they want to be with her. He says there's another one coming."

"How many are coming?" Autolycus ventured.

"There's no telling," Angel said, looking at his sister, "but perhaps you should send them home? As badly as they want to be with you, our climates are not the same."

Crystal batted away the tears that glistened in her ice blue eyes. She had already decided to send them back, but it wasn't exactly for the same reasons that Angel was thinking of. After all, she had managed to keep Cindy, Blue, and Elvira at the temperatures they needed over the years, renewing the spells once a year that blocked the heat from them. However, these animals could not stay with her. They should never have come through, never have followed her in the first place, but they had and it was that thought that made her eyes so moist and touched her heart so deeply.

Her voice was thick with emotion as she spoke, choosing to speak first to Phillip before verbally approaching the animals again. "Phillip, can you stop them from being able to come?"

"No. If I were to do so now, I would cut one off in the middle."

Crystal held her hands before the mirror. She was just about to send the snowickle back through when it slithered up her arm with such speed that even Clark was surprised at its swiftness. It delved into Prue's cloak and clung to the fabric.

Crystal looked to the young fox for help. "I appreciate what you are doing," she told the fox as she knelt before her and gently stroked her head. "I thank you all for the love and loyalty you have given me over the years and are still so intent upon doing so, but you really must return to your home."

The fox lifted her head and looked up into Crystal's eyes. She smiled sadly at her. "I will not leave you. My mate refused to leave, and so do I. Please," the fox spoke, seeing the tears in the Elemental's eyes, "do not cry for him. He went as he wanted to go, being valiant and striving to help you. We all wanted to help but . . . "

Crystal shook her head. "It was not your place, and you must return. I am so sorry I cost your mate his life. Was he . . . " She could not find the right words or make her tongue work to form them.

The fox nodded understandingly. "He was the same one you once played with as a child. You played with so many of us then, Crystal, and we've all missed you. Please do not send us home."

* * *

**A Cavern**

She stepped silently back, her tall frame merging with the shadows as she did so. She did not take her eyes away from the young Vampiress for even a heartbeat, but all her other senses remained on full guard. Nothing would creep up on them again. This latest threat also had not; they had both heard her coming well before she had reached them. The only surprise came in her face.

Kyna knew exactly who this latest enemy represented, and it burned her to her core to see how They treated her beloved William and be unable to do anything about it. She was the one on trial here, not him, and as she was the one being tried, the one who had been selected as Jack's co-Captain, They had every lawful right to do to her whatever they would. Not that she wasn't going to question the heck out of certain individuals on the Council seats about the voting procedure to force her to face off against Sheng's apparent double. However, just as much right as they had to do what they would to her and even with her, they had absolutely no right to do anything to Spike, lest of all to force him to face this Demonic image of his baby sister.

Though fury roared in her deepest soul, Kyna carefully turned that fury into strong determination to see the trial through, Salem and his people victorious, and their people survivors of these wretched trials and back home safely. Home. The thought brought a flicker of uncertainty to Kyna's otherwise calm face as she watched William being circled by the young Vampiress who wore his sister's face like a battle mask. Where was home? It could no longer be Destiny's Ghost, as her husband had worked her into seeing their ship a long time ago, as their vessel was now upon the ocean floor. No, she thought, home was no ship. It never really had been for Kyna. Home was beside the man she loved. Her thoughts shattered and her mind snapped to alert at a sudden yell . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Smee followed at a distance behind James and their boys. He kept them in sight at all times but remained as far back as he could, his mind raking over his dilemma. There wasn't an inch of his big body that did not want to run back, throw himself over that cliff, and let the crocodiles feast on him. Without James' love, he simply didn't want to live, but he knew that if he died now, the same fate would await Vang. For the second time in his lowly existence, he was caught in a life he did not want to live with no way of escaping. At least, before, he had had James, even though it had taken James so long to admit his love and Smee had been on the brink of despair when he had finally announced his love. A few days more, and Smee probably would have ended up taking his own life. He'd had that option open to him then, but now he had no way of escape.

Smee's eyes checked James and their boys to make sure that none of the three were looking at him, and then he glanced over his shoulder back at the cliff that was quickly disappearing from sight as they continued their trek downwards. He sighed. At one time, it would have been so simple to take his life, but now, now if he died, Vang would . . . Smee's body and brain froze at once, and even his heart forgot to beat as something gigantic suddenly appeared at the very edge of the cliff.

Smee stared, his wide eyes bigger than dinner plates, at the thing that now proceeded to jump up and down and head in his direction. His mind flashed back to a time when he and James had just began to fall along the path of love. Smee had never been much of one to celebrate his own birthday, but James had somehow managed to find out that it was his birthday and had insisted upon learning to cook just so that he could make him a cake. Smee hadn't known anything about it until he'd shown up for James' lessons on that day, and James had surprised him so thoroughly . . . That had been the first truly happy birthday Smee had ever experienced.

After that and up to the trial where his curse had included old age, James had made a more elaborate cake for Smee with each year, but never had Smee witnessed a cake with as much frosting, candles, or size as that which was now moving steadily toward him. The top layer of the cake was opening swiftly and slamming back down against the second layer, which made the cake look as though it had a huge mouth that was chomping in its eagerness to eat him. Frosting flew everywhere as it moved rapidly. At last, Smee found his voice, and as he turned around, he hollered. "RUN!"

* * *

**Somewhere**

Holding Kat close in his arms, Ace listened to Spot's muted thoughts. He knew Spot was very hungry. "Have you seen anything yet?" he called up to his big friend.

"Yellow," Spot told him.

"Go toward it," Ace demanded. He got to where he could see what Spot was looking at. It seemed to be a bunch of trees baring bananas. He wondered if Spot could eat a banana and if it would do any good for the big lizard to eat it. Would a bunch of bananas fill him up or just leave him craving for more? "I'm coming up," he told Spot. "Put me on the tree."

Spot knocked his head up against the tree, and it felt good. He rubbed it some even as Ace climbed out. "Have you ever ate one of these before?" Ace asked as he passed a couple of bananas into Kat. He figured she was starving, as well.

Spot eyed the yellow thing. "Small," he commented even as Ace peeled a couple and threw them into the big thing's mouth. Spot bit down, and his reaction was instant. He spit it. "Nasty," he roared with a toss of his head. He then looked back down and eyed Ace suspiciously.

Before Ace or the dinosaur could do anything more, however, something buzzed the T. Rex's nose. The tiny bug slipped inside the gigantic nostril, and Spot began to itch. His nose twitched violently. He tried to contain it, but the sneeze erupted. The bug flew out of his nose along with his snot, and all hit the tree and Ace. Spot's head jerked back as he sneezed again, and this time his head shook so violently that Kat was thrown out of his ear. She spiraled through the air with a Gaelic curse and disappeared from sight.

* * *

**Somewhere**

He cowered inside the safe spot he'd discovered in the tender earth beneath the tree. His tiny body trembled so greatly that he could scarcely hear, but still he dared to listen. He dared to listen and hope, even now, that his King would somehow, by some miracle he longed to deserve though he wasn't sure he did, find him and rescue him from this most horrible nightmare.

Didn't he deserve to live? Didn't he deserve a chance to do all the things he'd wanted to do but always been denied? He'd been a good worm. He had, always listening first to his mother and then to his Missus. He'd never once stepped out of line with either of the women in his life or the King or the Queen . . . Surely the one time he'd given the castle's location away to the Queen's sister didn't count? He'd thought she was Delvira, after all, and had truly believed that she was suffering some sort of amnesia due to a large bump he'd witnessed on her head.

A tear trailed down Worm's microscopic cheek. Was he not a good worm? Was he not a good enough loyal and faithful servant to warrant a rescue? Surely it was not due to his inferior species or ranking that Jareth had yet to sweep in to his rescue? Never once did it enter Worm's mind that perhaps his Master had not shown because he was unable to show.

Worm sniffed again and then stilled himself as he heard a great noise happening outside. His head lifted; his small, beady eyes lit with hope. Maybe that was the King now?! He hurried outside to meet him.

* * *

**The Island**

The light of the full moon that had come back into the open shone upon the silver blade of the sword he wielded high and at the ready as his bare feet raced across the sand. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the movements of his taut, muscular body. She had never seen such a strong human nor had she ever seen a human male so nearly naked. One small piece of cloth flapped around his groin area as he ran, and Janeesa blushed as she caught sight of something she shouldn't. She looked quickly back up to his face before she could see more of the long thing that swung between his legs.

This new human was every bit as handsome as he was muscular. His face was hardened with determination, however, and long, silverish hair flew behind him in the wind as he ran. He had passed her in a heartbeat, and she knew he hadn't seen her for his attention was concentrated solely upon the other human and his attacker. She watched as the man flew into the monster, and her heart cried out in pain as the monster raked at him with claws. She still could not get a clear shot of the monster, but its long, deadly claws seemed almost to glow in the moonlight.

Janeesa was completely enthralled by the battle as the human fought the beast, sword to claw. He was a valiant fighter, greatly skilled and determined, but he was no match for the monster. All too soon, the beast had knocked the sword from his hands and leapt upon him. Janeesa winced and looked away with tears in her eyes as the beast clawed at the human.

When she looked back again, Janeesa saw that the monster had returned to the first human. Neither human moved nor made any sound that she could hear. She feared they were both dead and wondered why the beast had returned to the first one. She tried to push past Robbie, but the dolphin hovered steadfast in the water. He refused to be moved or to let her pass.

Janeesa froze again in rapt attention as another figure appeared. This one had somehow managed to sneak up on the monster. She could see even less of the newcomer than she could the monster, however, but could tell that the being was fighting to save the other two. This fight lasted longer than the one before it had, but again the creature gained the upper fist. Something loud slammed down against the earth, and the trees shook. The creature, who had had its claws raised to strike at its latest opponent, who it had just downed, turned and ran.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Concentrate, Emma. You must concentrate. This can not be real! He can not be dead! Not now, not after all we've been through, not after just finding each other again! This can't be real! Tears continued to pour from her eyes, and as she wiped each fresh tear away, more fell in its place.

She had to concentrate. This couldn't be real. It had to be a trick. They were trying to rip her apart, mind, heart, and soul, and they were managing to do a Hell of a good job of it. Emma forced herself to pull up into a sitting position. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the images of the dead bodies of every one she'd ever loved and every one she'd ever caused the death of. She struggled to concentrate even past the vicious laughter of her sister.

Even then, Andrienne snarled down at Emma. "Go ahead and try, sister. You can't read my mind, and you won't find them alive. They're dead! They're all dead, and it's all because of you!" Her laughter echoed in Emma's mind even as the blonde telepath reached out mentally, searching . . . searching for her love . . . searching for a reason to continue . . . searching for a ray of hope . . . no matter how slim it may be . . .

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

A defiant roar suddenly sounded through the room as a small figure only slightly bigger than the tiny snake leapt through. The pink animal landed on his feet on the floor of the room and twirled a tiny stick around, using it like a bo staff and wielding it at the ready to ward off any who might dare to try to send him back. "We ain't going back! We wanna see the world!"

"And we want to be with you," the snowickle spoke from deep within the cloak Crys wore.

"And what are you?" Angel asked, his eyes glued to the small, defiant creature. "I've never seen anything quite like you."

The small creature pointed his stick straight at Angel. "I'm a mole rat!" He looked up at Angel as though asking the Vampire if he wanted to make something of it.

Angel looked from the mole rat to Crys. "You know him?"

Crystal inclined her head once in a nod. "Raphael. You know it is not good for you to be here."

Raphael kept his stick in one paw as he folded his tiny arms together in front of his chest. "I've already thought of that," he declared. "You can take my fur off!" Several mouths dropped open at that statement.

"What do you mean take your fur off?" Angel asked, concern showing in his voice. "Won't that be painful?"

"Nah. I have cousins down here who're naked. All that has to be done to it is to cut it off."

Crys shook her head. "It is not that simple, Raphael."

The white fox was just beginning to raise her paw to place it on Crystal's hand when Joxer screeched. Phoebe was the first to look from Joxer to the mirror, where he was staring at, and she too screamed for a pair of antlers was sticking out. The deer suddenly leapt the remainder of the way out of the mirror, and he, too, stood in the midst of the room.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Wolverine shook his head as he watched the small dog go. What had the idiot discovered this time? Something about a cat? He walked to the edge of the water and looked out, his eyes following the small dog's progress. Far out in the water, there seemed to be something about the size of a coconut shell bobbing up and down. Whatever was in trouble was in the coconut shell. He continued to watch as Didymus got closer to the shell.

Jack came to stand beside his father, still clinging to Will's hand. "What has he found now?" he wondered aloud only to hear his father mutter something about a damn cat. "There's no cat out there! It would not survive in so much water!" Jack didn't know whether or not to believe that, but he knew that Didymus would not have just jumped out there for show. He was a brave, little dog. There had to be something out there. He peered anxiously at the small object that did not seem to grow any nearer and wondered what it could be.

"Are you two daft?" Elizabeth questioned Jack and Wolverine. "There must be a cat out there! As absurd as it seems, there has to be! What else would be meowing so?"

Though Will wondered about the same questions as his adopted sister, he, too, could not imagine what a cat would be doing out in the ocean or how it could have possibly survived. He watched, his brown eyes narrowed intently and his hand clinging just as tightly to Jack's as Jack was to his, as Didymus swam out. The predators had not yet turned on the weird dog man, but soon they would. They had to help him somehow, but Jack was too weak to go back into the water. If he went, he knew Jack would follow him. There had to be something they could do to help!

"Look!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "There! Sticking out of the shell! What is that?"

Will narrowed his eyes more and looked closer. It certainly did appear to be a paw, but surely it could not be?

"Will, we have to help them!" Elizabeth shrieked as she saw one of the sharks turn its beady, hungry gaze onto Didymus.

"Yes, we do!" Jack agreed with Elizabeth. "But how?" He looked around, trying to spot any way that they could get out safely to where the shell was, but there wasn't anything.

"I'm goin'; I'm goin'!" Wolverine told them. He jumped into the water and began to swim his way toward the maddening dog and whatever was in the coconut shell. He could feel the shark closing in on him, swirled around, and flew into attack on the shark. There was so much thrashing in the water and blood spilling that the three watching on shore could not tell whether it was Wolverine or the shark who was receiving the losing end of the battle . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sean was singing at the top of his lungs, floating on his back in the river of whiskey. He didn't know when he would come to a place that he could get out of the river, but he hoped it would not be long. It seemed the longer he was in there, the more relaxed he became, the more carefree, and the louder he sang. What Sean was not realizing was that the longer he stayed in the water, the more it seeped into his sink, and that he would never come to an embankment or any other way that he could possibly get out.

He heard a loud voice calling from out of the darkness. "SEAN, ME BOYO! WHY ARE YE HERE?"

"Shamus, me ol' friend," Sean called back. "Haven't heard from ye in a long time!"

"Pull yerself taegether, lad. Tell me ye haven't drank any o' the river."

"Nae, I haven't," Sean told him. "I fear tae taste o' it. I fear that I will climb into its murky depths an' disappear."

"That ye would, me boyo," Shamus told him. "Ye must pull yerself taegether an' get out o' here. As long as ye lay peacefully upon yer back an' sing a song, nae matter how pretty the song, ye will nae be saved fer as long as ye're in here, it'll be seepin' through yer very veins. Ye'll be trapped here fere'er."

Sean could now see his old friend, Shamus. "What're ye diin' here, Shamus?" he asked, his head beginning to clear a little.

"It 'tis me job, Sean. Actually me punishment. I'm put here tae stir the river o' whiskey fer the rest o' me life, always tae want a drop but ne'er tae be allowed one."

"An' 'tis there tae be nae escape fer ye, then?" Sean asked.

"Nae fer me, me friend," Shamus told him, "but there is fer ye. Grab hold."

Sean peered at Shamus again and saw that Shamus was holding out an oar to him. He grasped firmly the end that he would reach, and Shamus, despite his tiny size, pulled Sean out. "I will nae ferget ye fer this, Shamus, an' I will try me best tae find a way tae get ye out o' this awful place."

"It could be a whole lot worse," Shamus told him. "I could be like those poor souls."

He pointed, and Sean looked. He saw men in rags and chains. "Why're they here?"

"They, too, are bein' punished fer they took a sip o' the river. As soon as ye come to clean water, take yerself in it an' wash yer body thoroughly. Dunk under the water three times, an' ye shall be completely free o' the river. Ferget that ye have seen me here fer there is nae way out fer me."

Sean was just about to protest Shamus' last words when the tiny Leprechaun, who had been looking warily around the entire time he had been talking to Sean in whispers once they were near enough, looked up and squealed. Sean's gaze snapped upwards. "By Holy Aphrodite!" He dove for Shamus, planning on tucking the wee lad into a roll that would deliver them from the gigantic hand that was reaching down, but the hand plucked Shamus up and snatched him away before Sean could ever reach him.

Sean could hear Shamus' screams. He jumped upward and began to fly after Shamus as quickly as he could. The hand pulled back even faster. Sean followed hard but could not reach him in time as he saw Shamus jerked through a cloud and, when he reached the cloud, there was no sign of either Shamus or the hand. He hoped that they did not give greater punishment to his friend. He planned to ask the Wizards when he saw them again what could be done to save Shamus for he did not want to leave him in this awful place. He flew away from the cloud and landed upon the earth once more, beginning to walk on the bank next to the river, hoping that it would bring him somewhere that he could get out of this awful place and find Emma. He feared that she was in even more dire straits than he was and prayed for her safety.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Xena gazed skyward at Ororo. "'RO! GABRIELLE, PIPER, AND MYSELF . . . WE REALLY NEED YOU DOWN HERE! YOU'RE OKAY, YOU KNOW!" Xena talked quietly to 'Ro even though she had to call a little louder than normal. She tried to keep her voice self-assured and peaceful. "'RO, WE COULD REALLY USE YOU DOWN HERE!" She looked around for shelter, figuring her words were not going to do any good, but there really wasn't anywhere for them to get out of the weather.

"Piper, talk to her. Reassure her that everything's going to be okay, that she's safe now."

There had been something different in Ororo's voice, a panic greater than even that which she had, on occasion, heard in her godmother's voice over the last couple of days. There had been a wildness and deep concern flashing in Ororo's blue eyes when Piper had last seen them as she'd flown upwards. She wasn't sure what was going on with her godmother and realized that she seemed to have been trying to warn them about something but nodded nonetheless to Xena and rose her voice. Though she had to shout to be heard over the growing thunder, Piper kept her tone calm and soothing, as though she were trying to ease the fear out of one of her sisters after they'd had a nightmare.

"AUNT ORORO, IT'S FINE. EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY. REALLY, IT IS. YOU KNOW I WOULDN'T LIE TO YOU. I LOVE YOU. WE'RE HERE TO HELP. TOGETHER, WE CAN DEFEAT THE COUNCIL."

Gabrielle had been about to add her voice to the others' when Ororo suddenly screamed. "NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Gabby jumped, throwing Piper to the ground and rolling them both out of the way as a lightning bolt hit the ground where Piper had just been standing. Ororo threw another bolt at Xena.

Xena flipped and barely got out of the way. "She's just too far up there, Piper! I can't flip that high! She's not responding. Do you know any magic spells?" She knew Piper and her sisters were supposed to be Witches, but all she had seen come out of Piper so far had been freezing and exploding, neither of which would help them to capture Ororo. She looked hopefully at Piper.

Piper was still on the ground, but Gabrielle lowered a hand to her from where she stood at the ready. Piper hesitated in taking it as she raked her mind for an answer to their dilemma. "I've never seen her act like this. It's not one of her claustrophobic attacks, Xena, and I don't know how to help her. We've only recently come into our powers and gotten the Book. I haven't even had time to really look into its pages that much." She wished she had it now. There had to be something in that great Book to help!

The winds were picking up, Gabrielle noted, and complete darkness was settling in around them. Complete darkness except . . . "Hades! Xena, look at her eyes!" Taking Piper's hand, Gabrielle pulled the younger woman to her feet but did not let go of her hand.

Xena gazed into Storm's eyes. "Holy Aphrodite! She's Demon possessed!" she exclaimed even as Ororo's blood red eyes looked straight at her. "We are not going to be able to reach her without some help, and we've gotta get her down from there!" She looked at Gabrielle and then began to call for Ditey.

Thunder roared its anguish, and rain pelted down. Lightning again shot out at the trio. Xena flipped out of its way smoothly enough, but the lightning that was flung at Gabrielle and Piper headed straight in the middle of them. One woman dove one way, but the other dove the other. Their hands ripped apart, and each landed hard on the ground with more lightning bolts barely passing over the top of them. The maniacal laughter that erupted from Ororo as she hurled more lightning bolts chilled the three women's hearts.

* * *

**Somewhere**

She watched, with flames dancing in her eyes, as the conjured fire devoured her enemy, and she thought. She thought over all that had happened to bring her to this stage in her long life. She worried over what might yet come. Mostly, however, she contemplated her next move.

The entire time, her eyes remained upon the giant snake who had just come so close to ending her life once and for all. She never saw the change, but suddenly the burning form was no longer that of the snake's. Minerva's scream ripped through the jungle, sending birds flying, beasts roaring, and the shyer creatures of the woods scurrying for a hiding place.

Tears sprang to Minerva's eyes and began pouring down her withered cheeks. What had she done?! Finding her voice, she pointed her wand toward the heavens and yelled out a spell. Rain clouds immediately began to gather, but she feared they would not be in time even as she ran to the burning, crumpled body of none other than Albus Dumbledore . . .

**To Be Continued . . . **


	37. Chapter Thirtysix

**Chapter Thirty-six**

**A Cavern**

"YOU LEFT ME ALONE! AND YOU KILLED ME! HOW DARE YOU?! HOW COULD YOU?! YOU LEFT ME ALONE! I HATE YOU!!!" Tears poured down the young Vampiress' face as she screeched the accusations.

Spike was taken aback. He had expected an attack both with actions that the other Vampire thought he'd be helpless to fight back against and words that he'd expected to cut sharper than any blade or fang, but never had he expected the accusations to come wielding such raw, apparently true emotion or the torrent of tears that now poured down the Vampiress' pale, thin, and anguished face. For a moment, he was swept back. "Brittany . . . "

"YOU LEFT ME ALONE!" she repeated, as though that were the greatest sin he had ever committed, greater, even, than killing her. "YOU LEFT ME ALONE! I HATE YOU!!" She howled as she flung herself against him, her small fists pounding furiously at his stomach.

She wasn't attacking him, Spike realized. She wasn't . . .

"WILLIAM!" The urgency in Kyna's yell snapped Spike back to reality, and he jumped backwards away from the small Vampiress. His black eyes widened at the claws that were now striking empty air . . . empty air where his stomach had just been! "Crap! You little bitch!" he snarled.

The Vampiress smiled at him, and Spike understood the icy smile perfectly well. This thing was not his sister. She was a monster with his sister's sweet, angelic face sent here to do him in.

"What did you expect?" the Vampiress hissed at him, her betraying smile vanishing as soon and unexpectedly as it had appeared. "For me to still _love you_ after _you killed me, brother_?" She snapped the words sarcastically at him and then immediately launched herself at him in a series of jabs and kicks that Spike eluded every one of expertly.

* * *

**A Shore**

With a wild yell thundering from his lungs, Wolverine finally gutted the shark. He threw it away from him, and its corpse fell amongst other predators who then began to eat the shark. He then continued on to where Didymus had finally reached the shell. "HOLY SHIT!" Wolverine yelled. He called back to the others, "THERE IS A CAT IN HERE! A SOLID, WHITE CAT!"

Will looked at Jack as Elizabeth pondered aloud, "A solid white cat? Aren't they supposed to be good luck or something like that?" Yet she could not shake the unsettling feeling that there was something that Wolverine wasn't telling them.

Will, too, felt that there was something that Wolverine wasn't telling them or perhaps did not yet know, but he remained gazing at his beloved's face until Elizabeth, who stood on his other side, yelled again and grasped his wrist. He looked quickly back at her, saw the horror that blanched her face, and turned his attention back to the ocean. Didymus was now pushing the coconut shell toward the safety of the shore, and Wolverine was keeping watch over him but was unaware, as he sliced through yet another shark, that a predator had rose up behind him.

As Jack yelled at his father to watch out, Will looked up, up, UP at the thing that towered behind Wolverine. It was green and slimy-looking, and there seemed to be no end to it. Its snakelike body waved back and forth behind Wolverine, and as it opened its mouth in a roar that made all their hearts stand still for just a brief second, it revealed a mouth even more enormous and filled with fangs that appeared to be as big and sharp as swords. Shaking Elizabeth off of his arm, Will reached for his hatchet. He grabbed it and threw it. The weapon hurtled through the air with the speed of the wind and sliced off the creature's head. Its blood spewed over the ocean and those in it. Its head splashed down in front of it, and its body fell backwards . . .

Wolverine never realized what was behind him. He just saw the hatchet coming and ducked. That boy was crazy with a hatchet! he thought to himself and hoped that he had not been the intended target. Then something came splattering down upon him, and he almost shrieked in fright. He slashed wildly at the thing but soon discovered that it was a head. At the same time that he was struggling desperately to get the thing off of him, something collided with the water and whooshed both him and Didymus onto the land.

* * *

**Somewhere**

"Run?" James asked as he turned around to see what had bothered Smee. He had been glancing back at Smee from time to time to make sure that Smee was coming. How he wished he could throw his arms around Smee and kiss him! How he wished that he could kiss his beloved and make him understand that he wanted only him! Would his nightmare never end? But no, when he heard Smee's frightened scream, he knew the nightmare would not end. At least, not yet.

He turned and spied the thing that was racing behind them. The chomps were growing even louder as it approached, and James jumped forward to stand between Smee and the cake, his hook raised. "Who dares to send this thing to Smee?! Who dares?!" he asked once again, looking upward.

"You forget that you did this to Smee! Any one looking upon him," James continued to address the unseen Council, "would think he attained his size from indulging in food yet you know differently! You caused him to look like this! You took his handsome, lithe body and turned him into an old, fat man who's not strong enough to protect himself! Not that he needs to when I'm here, and yet you dare to send this astrocious cake after him!"

He took a swipe with his hook at the cake. "I'll show you what I think of you, Council!" To his amazement, his hook was caught quite steadfast, and he tried to pull it out. It didn't do any good! "You will not have my Smee!" James yelled and struck at it with his other hand. His hand bounced off like a rubber ball. "LET GO OF ME!" he yelled.

Frederic and Connor had both stopped and were looking back. What in the Hell was their Dad fighting?! It looked, for all the world, to be a birthday cake with excessive amounts of frosting that were dripping everywhere! What kind of monster had the Council sent after them this time? Frederic got behind the cake and made a grab backward. The cake was not squishy and did not crush, as Frederic thought it might, whether it felt extremely firm and slimy. "What are you?" Frederic asked, not expecting the cake to answer as surely it did not have a voice.

Meanwhile, Connor had been trying to get his father's hook loose but was not having much luck. He had the ooey, gooey mess all over him, and still the cake held firm. He took his sword out and began to try to slice the cake that was around the hook.

The cake opened its mouth for just one second, and then it clamped down harder upon James' hook and also upon Connor's sword and part of each of their arms. Holding tightly to them, it lowered its top, and candles shot off of it. They struck both James and Connor with a battering ram of candles. Candles also leapt off of the back end of the top layer to attack Frederic. Seeing that both James and Connor were caught now and the damage that both the bodies and flames of the candles was being inflicted upon them, Smee yelled. He had seen the attempted attacks and had witnessed that none of them seemed to do any good. His pudgy hands went to James, who he began trying to rip away from the cake, even as he started biting madly. He spit out each bite of cake.

James watched in amazement as Smee bit the cake and then spit it out. Could he bite the cake, too? Would that help? Those damn candles had hurt a lot, and he had yelled as each one had hit him. He looked at what had once been his beautiful suit of Pirate clothes, and there were small, smoldering holes all over it where the candles had hit him. He shook his head; he'd have to steal another one as soon as possible. As it was, it was the only change of clothes he had. "Smee, be careful! Don't swallow any of that! It is very deadly and probably contains much poison!" He leaned forward and bit at the cake only to find that it hurt his teeth, and he couldn't bite a hole in it.

Frederic, who was not caught by the cake, did not want to stick a sword in there and lose it. Some one had to be able to defend the family, and what better time for an attack? He kept walking around his family, letting them deal with the thing in the midst of them, even as his keen eyes kept watch. He figured that this was merely a distraction and that the worse was yet to come, and knowing the Council, it would probably happen at any minute. He was the only one who could protect the family, and protect them, he would, even if it cost him his life.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

"Phillip? Can you close the portal now?" Angel asked. He feared there would soon be too many animals in the room for there to be any room for animals. "You can always send them back later," he told Crys.

"I'm afraid that that is not quite possible at this time." No sooner had the words left Phillip's invisible mouth than a large, white rabbit hopped through. It looked around at the others, then started thumping its foot onto the floor as it scratched a flea.

Prue stared in disbelief at the huge white rabbit. "You sure are pretty," she said but did not make an effort to touch him for fear he would bite her.

The rabbit stopped scratching as one of the humans spoke to him and an owl swept into the room. Cordelia ducked as the large-winged bird flew over her head before finding a roosting spot on the dresser. The rabbit hopped over to the woman who had spoken to it and stared up at her, his nose twitching as he sniffed at her.

Prue reached out a hand and let the rabbit sniff her. She could not believe all the animals that were coming in, and then she remembered the group of animals they'd left behind. Did every one of them have the intention of coming?

Crystal was almost in too much shock to speak. She glanced at Prue while keeping a hand gently but firmly pinning the tabby cat down, so that the cat would not attempt to eat Raphael, who he was looking and licking his lips. "He wants you to pet him."

"You come for me, kitty kat," Raphael declared, twirling his twig around, "you gonna get it. Ki-yi!" The twig stopped just short of the cat's nose.

Sensing that he'd had enough, Crystal let the cat go, and Willow ran to the bed and jumped back up onto its safety. She looked at the mirror. "As soon as you can, stop them!"

Feeling a paw on her knee, Crystal looked down at the fox. "We are weary of the Pole and especially of its forest," the fox told her. "We are weary of the evils, the darkness, and the dangers that he has filled it with. Please let them come and let us all stay. However you keep the heat from harming your three, you can do the same for us." She pleaded at her with tears in her eyes, and Crystal felt her heart breaking again.

Crys reached out a hand and stroked the fox's head. "We had babies once," the fox sobbed. "A lovely litter of kits, they were. All healthy and happy. It was the happiest time in my life, but then some of _his_ creatures came when we were away and ate them. Not all of the North Pole is good any more. Too many have turned to his side."

Crystal felt sick, and her hand froze where it had been stroking the fox's soft fur. She failed to notice the other animals that were entering through Phillip as she stared into the fox's eyes. Frostbite had even reached the animals now? There truly was no hope left for her homeland. Why had Jack not told her of this?

"He did not tell you," the fox answered her unspoken question, "for he knew you would insist upon trying to fight him again. He did all he could to keep you away."

* * *

**An Obulette**

Jareth knew that if he did not get a hold of himself and control his emotions, that both he and Teak were goners. He dried his eyes and concentrated. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and began to sing a song that he had sang once before, and it had brought to him a most wonderful woman. If she came now in response to a song that he had written for her, she could save him once again.

"_I've been looking, I've been looking  
I've been looking, I've been looking  
I've been looking for a woman  
To save my life  
Not to beg or to borrow_"

As his master sang, Teak sat up and looked at Jareth. Had his Master totally flipped? It would serve to pass the time for now if Jareth decided to sing, but it still wouldn't get them out of the damned obulette! He couldn't help but to listen to the magical words. The King was calling for his Queen! Would she answer?

* * *

**The Island**

Janeesa gasped as the moonlight shone clearly upon the creature's head, revealing the blood that glistened on its fleshless face. Once it had gone, she crawled out upon the sand far enough that the water could not reach her. It took several minutes for the night breezes to blow her dry, and as she dried, her tail split and became two legs. She walked as quickly as she could to where she could see the humans laying on the ground. She feared she would find them dead, but as she approached them, she noticed that the latest arrival was checking the other two out. "Who are you?" she called, hoping that they would answer.

The being's head snapped up, and dark eyes looked fearfully at the other stranger. The being scampered backwards away from the fallen humans, turned, and ran in the direction it had come from.

Janeesa moved closer to where the golden male lay. He was breathing. She thanked the Goddess for that. He was bleeding, and she didn't know what to do to help him. There had to be others here.

The smell from the other human repulsed her, and she did not go closer to him. She feared he was dead.

The moonlight shining down upon the golden God revealed the male in his full glory, and Janeesa basked in his beauty before backing up and looking around to see if there was anybody else coming. She saw no one, but the earth shook and continued to shake until she fell next to Golden God. She lay there, eyes wild with fright, fearing that the terrible creature was returning to finish them all off.

Great was her surprise when a huge creature came out of the darkness, covered in rags. It was a Giant! Was he friendly, or had he come to finish them off?

* * *

**Somewhere**

"AH. GOOD EYE. THERE YOU ARE!" The booming words made no sense to Worm. He listened and looked around for his King.

Worm's grave mistake was in ignoring the enormous creature whose voice rumbled like thunder. By the time he sensed a sudden movement, he no longer had time to slide back underneath the tree whose protection he had so foolishly left. Five large things that felt like fingers wrapped tightly around Worm and shoved him deep into a dark hole.

Worm tried to crawl out of the hole, but one of the beefy fingers shoved him back in. "BAD EYE! NOT GO!" The finger continued to poke, prod, and push at him both painfully and, Worm thought, extremely rudely. Worm cried out in pain, but the monster ignored him. "BAD EYE! STILL NOT SEE. NEED NEW EYE." The beast lumbered off, crashing through trees and continuing to push and prod at his misbehaving "eye".

* * *

**A Shore**

Wolverine got shakily onto his feet and looked back but could see nothing. "Ya almost got me that time!" he called to Will. "What was that thing any how?"

Will sat up from where the water had thrown Jack, Elizabeth, and himself back. He looked at the ungrateful, short man and reminded himself that the gruff Pirate was his love's adopted father. "I don't know what it was," he admitted, "but whatever it was, it wanted to make you its dinner!"

Elizabeth, meanwhile, had gotten to her feet and rushed away from the others. She had seen where Wolverine and Didymus had landed, and she had also spotted the coconut shell where it had somehow managed to stop at the edge of the water. Pulling at the shell, she realized that it was caught by a rock and turned to look inside it with the thought of simply carrying the cat away. The small, white cat sat inside the shell. It was propped up on its front legs and had its eyes tightly closed.

"Aw." The poor feline appeared to be no bigger than her hand, and he was oh so cute! Elizabeth reached in and gently stroked his head. "It's okay, little fellow." The cat opened one blue eye, and Liz thought that it was, if it at all possible, even cuter. "You're safe now." She let it smell her for just a second before attempting to pick it up. As she started to lift it from the shell, she caught sight of its rear end. She was so surprised at what she saw that she dropped it with a yell, backed up, tripped over a rock, and landed flat on her bottom.

"What the Hell?!" Jack asked as he crawled over to the shell and peered anxiously down at the little kitten that Elizabeth had dropped. "Why, Will, it's got a tail!" he said in surprise. "It's not a real cat, after all!" His voice sounded in awe of the small creature. What is it?

Wolverine looked at Will. "Thanks, boy, fer savin' me. Should've brought the head ta ya for a souvenir." He, too, peered anxiously down into the coconut shell. What had they just found? Whatever it was, it sure was cute when it looked at ya with those blue eyes! he thought.

Will had jumped to his feet when Elizabeth had screamed, but still somehow managed to be slower on booted foot than Jack was as he crawled. His forehead creased, and a look of bewilderment settled over his features as Jack commented first on the cat having a tail and then on it not being a real cat after all. "Jack, what are you talking about, love?" Will asked as he quickened his step toward them. "Of course it has a tail -- " His words froze in his mouth as he came around the shell and looked down at the kitten. He swallowed hard, and his eyes almost bugged out of his head.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Even as Smee chomped away, the cake lowered its head again. James' and Connor's yells of warning served to make him look up just before the cake could fire. Smee jumped behind them, raised his beefy arms over their heads, and lowered his own head. He did not think to warn Frederic as he believed the cake to again be after James and Connor, but it was Frederic who the cake fired its cherries at as though they were missiles.

Cherries pelted Frederic and made him yell in pain. What else did that damn cake have that it could let go of?! It had done given his family candles and cherries, and every one of them had hurt! He knew there was something else in there, but he wasn't sticking his sword in. He knew that cake wanted him to stick his sword in. Then he'd be caught too! "It's enchanted," he told the others, "and we don't have a spell to do it in with."

Could he kick it? What would happen if he actually connected with the cake? Would his foot stick fast? He looked around and spotted part of a tree limb that had fallen. He walked over, picked it up, and it seemed to be rather sturdy. Bringing it back, he hit the cake at the bottom. His limb stuck fast to the cake. "Thought so. Any other suggestions?" he asked the others hopefully.

"Not yet," James told the others, "but I fear that our test is in how to get rid of this thing. Wish I could feet it to the crocs, but not with Connor and I attached!"

All eyes turned to rest on Smee. Smee had always had a good head on his shoulders. His was the voice of wisdom. Did he have something to save them with now?

Smee was glaring angrily up at the cake. Weaponry wouldn't work; regardless of what they attempted to use, it'd merely stick. A good rain might help, but none of them had the power to draw upon a storm. The only thing Smee could think of was that he was somehow going to have to eat the whole damn thing. He glanced down at his body for a second. Dear Gods, if he could manage to hold the entire cake, he'd be bigger and fatter than the ugliest Giant they'd battled back on the island! But it didn't matter how big he was, Smee thought as James' earlier words to the Council's drifted through his mind and burned his ears again to the point of turning them red. James still wouldn't love him. He didn't love him, and who could blame him? After all, he was fat, old, ugly, stupid, mostly helpless . . .

Smee shook himself. He couldn't afford to give in to his thoughts now. He had to save James for even if he didn't love him, he still loved him with all his being, and of course, he had to save their beloved son and keep the cake from getting their other son, as well. "Frederic," his words came out as a bark though he did not intend them to, "stay back. Find cover. Watch the cake but do not attack. If you see it about to attack, warn us. I'll do what I can."

Careful to keep his hands away from the cake, Smee then lowered his mouth to the area where the beastly thing held to his love's hook and arm and began to bite. Each bite was so hard and sweet that it made his teeth ache, and the slimy frosting wriggled as though it were made of worms instead of sugar, milk, eggs, and coconut. Smee spit out each bite he took, and as he bit angrily into the cake who was trying to bounce forward but being held back by James' and Connor's stubborn positions, he spit each bite out to the side. No matter how dumb James thought he was, he wasn't foolish. He'd known better than to swallow any of the cake before James had ever warned him, and it wasn't just due to poison. It might not even be poisonous, but it _was_ guaranteed to do _something_ to him that would not be good.

* * *

**A Cavern**

It had taken every single ounce of Kyna's vast self-control to keep from attacking the Vampiress whose real attack on her beloved she had known all the time would come and would be nowhere near as meager as tiny fists pounding in faux helpless frustration. She had managed to refrain herself until she sensed the Vampiress ready to attack and had then yelled at William. Had he delayed for even a split second, she would have attacked for him, but thankfully, he had responded immediately.

Still, Kyna would not be relieved until this particular battle of their latest war was finished with Spike the uncontested victor. Now she called another warning to him. "She is nowhere near as young as she appears!"

Spike only grunted in answer. He was already beginning to suspect the creature's age! His wife's statement only confirmed his suspicions. He would have known soon regardless, however, as it was proving to be all he could do to keep up with the Vampiress. Some of her punches were even beginning to slip past his guard and make contact, but he had yet to lay a single finger on her. It was past time to fight dirty, Spike decided, -- even if the creature _did_ look _so_ much like his little sister who he had loved so much.

No sooner was his decision made than Spike dropped to the ground, sending her throws sailing over his head, and kicked his legs out and into hers. The Vampiress fell to the ground with a screeched curse, and Spike sprang, stake firmly in hand. He only paused when he was poised with the deadly piece of wood aimed for her heart and saw her eyes. They were the same bright, robin's egg blue as his sister's. She wore the same innocent, doe-like expression he'd always found so endearing in his sister's eyes. She looked so much like his sister . . .

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

"What's she saying?" Cordelia questioned. She could not see Crystal's face but saw the emotions in Eddie's long face and knew that Crys would not have stopped petting the fox for just any reason.

Eddie repeated everything that the fox said, intently gazing at Angel, and when he had finished, Angel looked at Crys once more. "Let them come. There's plenty of room here for them. They're all welcome." He had to fight to keep the tears from getting in his own eyes. How wicked that thing had become! He was glad they had destroyed it!

"Are you sure -- ?" Crystal asked worriedly even as she heard the sounds of soft crying and realized that she was not the only one with tears on her face and in her eyes. She looked up at her brother and saw the emotions in his eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and knew instinctively that it was Lorne. Elvira laid her head upon Crystal's shoulder and whined gently.

"But what if they would not? I do not know if I can do it all myself."

"You are not alone any more," Cordelia told her. "We are here. We will help."

"How _do_ you keep your three safe from the heat?" Delvira queried from where she was now sitting up on the bed.

"An annual spell."

"I will help you," Delvira told her. "Let them come. If Jack does not want them here when he returns, though I doubt it if my readings on him are as accurate as they usually are, we will find a better and safer place for them together."

All the while, animals had been jumping, leaping, hopping, and flying into the room. Each was being careful to behave itself as they crowded around the two-leggers for none wanted to be returned to their ever-darkening forest. Crystal nodded at last. "When we are certain he is gone and the evil has left the forest, you can return then, but for now, you may stay." She was thankful the others had understood for, after hearing the story of the fox she now held close, she never could have turned them away.

Prue reached out and picked up the bunny she had already been petting. She held it close and stroked it. She kissed it on top of its furry, little head. There was no way she was going to let this small one return!

* * *

**Somewhere**

Trely groaned and grunted as she pulled herself up out of the sinking mudhole. She still had no further clue as to what the stuff was, but it seemed as determined to pull her down into its muck as she was to get free of it. She was finally stepping out, her tiny, green hands clinging to the legs of the chair, when she felt something slide around her shoulders. She frowned. She carried countless things on her aching back, but none of them should be moving of their own accord. Trely hurried to get out of the hole.

Something soft touched the little Goblin's wrinkled cheek just as she moved to place the chair between her and the mudhole she was finally free of. She reached up a hand to see what was touching her, and the thing suddenly wrapped around her mouth. At the same time, the chair jumped up and struck her. Trely fell to the ground, her hands gripping the cloth as she tried desperately to tear it off of her mouth. The cloth clung to her of its own accord and muffled her screams. Trely's eyes went wide as the chair rose above her and then slammed down into her tiny body . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

"EUUW! YUCK!" Ace yelled even as he swiped angrily at the snot. "SPOT!"

Spot looked at him with a sad look. "Spot sorry."

"Bath now," Ace told him and climbed back up into Spot's ear before realizing that Kat was no longer in there. "Kat?" Had she gone further into Spot's ear to examine what made a dinosaur tick? "SPOT, DON'T MOVE!" Ace yelled. "KAT'S MISSING!"

"Your funny monkey?" Spot asked.

"Yes."

Spot stood still, his big head swinging wide and his eyes desperately seeking any sign of Kat. Spot roared, but nothing moved. "Funny monkey gone," he told Ace.

Ace had to get the filth off of himself. "Bath first," he told Spot. "Then we go look for monkey."

Spot went to the nearby river, and Ace did a swan dive into the water even as Spot spotted a fish. He roared with joy as he leaped forward to catch the massive shark. He tore the shark from limb to limb. As bloody rain fell upon Ace, he looked skyward. "Damn dinosaur!" he muttered and managed to get far enough away that he could get himself completely clean.

He didn't figure, for one minute, that Spot was ever going to eat a banana or anything else that wasn't meat with ripe and juicy blood. At least, Ace thought, if he had to eat something made of meat, it had been a shark and the shark would eat no more animals. He paused for a moment and said a quick prayer to his Goddess for the shark's soul. He wanted to scold Spot but knew it would do no good. After all, Spot was a meat-eater despite the fact that Ace would give anything to be able to change him into a plant-eater. "SPOT!" he yelled and was rewarded with one big eyeball gazing downward at him. "DON'T EAT ANYTHING ELSE! WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR MEAT EATING HABITS!"

"Meat good," Spot told him, "but Spot not eat until Ace tell him to." He lowered his head down for Ace to get back in the ear.

"We must go and look for Kat now," Ace told him. From his perch high up, Ace, too, watched for Kat, but there was no sign of his beloved. "Damn the Council!" he said aloud. "That old, bald geezer's probably got her again!"

* * *

**An Obulette**

"_A woman with a feeling  
Of loosing once or twice  
Who knows how it could be  
Be tomorrow_"

Jareth got up and began to pace the confines of the small room, his voice increasing in volume as he sang the words of the song he had once written that conjured Delvira out of nothingness. He still did not know how she had managed to find him, but he was glad that she had. Teak had caught the tune and was beginning to hum it, trying to help Jareth get the message out, but he was afraid that they were sealed inside the obulette and that nothing would get out.

"_I've been waiting for you  
And you've been coming to me  
For such a long time now  
For such a long time now_"

Delvira, baby, where are you? Jareth wondered. Don't you hear me singing my heart out to you? Please answer me! Get me out of Hell, please! Jareth was not surprised when he heard a small sound behind him and turned around, expecting to see his beloved wife.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Astonishment and fear warred within Trent as he watched all the animals coming into the room through the bewitched mirror and listened to the conversation floating around the room. Each emotion warred to overthrow the other, but the silent, inner battle was forgotten immediately when Carlos' shoulder brushed his. "She's gone," the Mexican whispered.

Trent turned his head in the direction of his best friend's voice and found himself looking directly into the dark depths of the other man's eyes. It took him a moment to recall what Carlos had just said, and then another to remember why it was so important. "Did you see which way she went?" he asked, turning his gaze back to the room at large.

"No." Carlos shook his head. "But we'd better find her fast."

Trent nodded even as he shoved away memories of both things he didn't want to think about and things he knew he shouldn't. "There's no telling what she might do right now. You take the East; I'll take the West." The partners nodded their agreement and split. Neither thought to ask for help, not even from Rogue, who stood nearby.

* * *

**A Cavern**

But she was not his sister, Spike reminded himself, and as the Vampiress reached for him with clawing talons and he sensed Kyna move uncomfortably and knew the same doubts that had ran through his mind when she'd fought Sheng's lookalike were now running through hers, Spike shoved the stake home. His sister's screams, both new and from before, echoed in Spike's ears as the Vampiress turned to dust.

* * *

**Somewhere**

James watched as Smee bit angrily at the cake and spit it away. Maybe that was part of the Council's plan? He yelled back up. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME, COUNCIL! IF IT'S YOUR PLAN FOR SMEE TO EAT THIS THING AND BE TEN TIMES THIS SIZE, I'M STILL GOING TO LOVE HIM! NO MATTER HOW YOU MAKE SMEE LOOK, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE HIM, AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME STOP!"

The constant touching of Smee on his body was giving a reaction on James that he'd rather the boys didn't see. No matter what the world thought of his beloved, James could still see him, in his mind's eye, the way he once was. He wished that he could bite the cake, as well, but he was afraid he would break his teeth if he tried again. He had been lucky the first time; it had only hurt his mouth. Only his beloved seemed to have what it took. James prayed that he did not eat any of it as there was no telling what the Council had enchanted the cake to do.

Frederic did not hide, but he stayed in the open. Heck, the candles could come back at any second, he thought, or the Council could send an even bigger foe! He watched in awe as Smee bit the cake and managed to spit it out. He prayed that he didn't swallow any of it. He heard his father, James, and did not add his own railings against the Council. If he could ever get them to where he could pay them back for what they had done to his family, he vowed that he would.

Connor had never felt so helpless in his life, and it had been done by a mere cake! He was glad he had not been bombarded by the cherries; he figured they felt like being hit by rocks. Yet Frederic seemed to have recovered and was now still on guard, protecting his family. If only he could get his arm free, Connor thought, and he struggled against the cake, but each struggle only seemed to embed him further in. The cake seemed to be a giant sponge that was sucking them ever steadily inward. Connor knew that, if he relaxed for even one second, the cake would swallow him even more, but he did not struggle violently any more. He just kept a steady pull back from it and against it.

James' words had brought tears to Smee's eyes, but it wasn't because he believed he loved him. Instead, it was because it hurt Smee greatly to think that James was determined to carry on his masquerade and continue to pretend to love him always just because he felt so sorry for him. He didn't want James to feel sorry for him. He bit harder into the cake and silenced the sob in his throat with the bite before he spit it out. He wanted James to _love_ him, to _really_ love him for him, not because of his looks, be they good or repulsive, but because of the man inside his body. But that would never happen, Smee knew. James wanted a woman. He didn't want a fat, ugly, sniffling loser. His teeth snatched at the cake, and he spit it out hastily. He began biting quicker and quicker even as pain filled his mouth and tears rolled down his puffy cheeks.

Why was Smee crying again? James wondered but did not ask him. He would not say one word to distract him from biting that cake for he feared that, if he did, Smee would swallow some of it and Gods only knew what that would cause. With his free hand, James reached out and gently touched Smee, trying to give him encouragement.

The awful thing must be hurting his baby's mouth, and he couldn't do anything to help! He had never felt so helpless in his life except for when he had been dangling above the crocodile pit and when he had been meat about to be devoured by other crocs. Damn the Council! Who did they think they were, any way?! If he found out whose brilliant idea this cake was, he was going to do some carving when the trials were over! He'd find out; he'd ask. Somebody would be stupid enough to slip up, and when they did, they were going to be James'! When he was through with them, they would not be a pretty sight any more, and all their magic would not help them. He'd find a way, he vowed. If they hurt Smee to the point that he can't go on, they'll regret it!

James wondered if this test was meant for him and Smee both, but he didn't think so as he was unable to do anything against the cake. No, he thought, it was meant for Smee alone. He was the only one who could do anything that would affect the cake, but he feared that Smee would never be able to hold up to get them free. If they could only get free of the cake, they could find a way to throw it over the cliffs to the crocodiles!

Smee turned his head and spit out yet another bite of cake. This time, a tooth went with it. He grimaced at the pain, and something caught his gaze. He turned his head toward it and cursed quietly enough that he hoped Connor and Frederic wouldn't hear him. There was some kind of creatures slowly lugging their rotting bodies up the side of the cliff toward Frederic. "FREDERIC, WATCH OUT!" Smee turned back to the cake and took a huge bite right above James' arm. Unfortunately, as he took each bite, more of the cake filled the hole that he'd just created.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	38. Chapter Thirtyseven

**Chapter Thirty-seven**

**An Obulette**

"_A woman with a feeling  
Of loosing once or twice  
Who knows how it could be  
Be tomorrow_"

Sure enough, as Jareth continued to sing, there was a portal appearing inside the obulette. It started as just a black hole hanging in the middle of the empty, stinking air that filled the obulette and then began to grow. Teak, not realizing that his Master was already looking, pulled eagerly upon Jareth's pants leg. He had seen such a portal many times before and knew that it meant that the Queen was coming!

Jareth waited expectantly. He was very eager for his beloved to come. She would get them out of this awful, Gods-forsaken hole! He wondered if she knew that Hoggle was dead.

The hole continued to grow until it was the length and width of a small door. A pale foot clad in a black high heel was the first thing to come out of the portal. It was attached to a long, slender leg that was naked up to the end of a creamy thigh where a black dress' slit began. She stepped out slowly, her fisted hands showing that she was ready for battle, but when she looked out from a beautiful face marred by tear stains and running makeup and saw Jareth, her hands relaxed and her black lips curled up into a smile that warmed Jareth's insides. "Jareth! Oh, love!" she cried as she raced across the floor and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

He pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that began as a missing kiss and then evolved into a full-scale fire! It had been too long since they had touched, and his body clamored for hers! Oblivious to the Goblin who was now hiding his long face in his hands, Jareth continued, his hands sliding over Delvira's body and pressing her even closer to himself to the point that she could feel his need for her.

Teak kept his face buried in his hands. He did not want to see them do the act! He moved to a corner and hovered.

She pressed closer into him, moaning between kisses as she felt every inch of his length against her. Her hands ran over his body and embedded in his blonde tresses. "We'll get you out of here, beloved," she moaned against his lips, her flickering tongue tasting of his mouth even as she whispered urgently to him, "but oh, how I _need_ you!" She leapt up, wrapped her long legs around him, and rubbed her naked core against his rearing steed through the fabric of his pants, pants that were already tight and growing steadily tauter . . . She grasped his face with both hands and kissed him harder, her tongue plunging into his mouth and twisting against his. Her hard breasts pressed into his muscular chest, and she lifted one hand from his face. She ran her sharp, black fingernails against his pants slowly at first and then faster the second time; with the third time, she struck!

Jareth could not quell his appetite for the buxom beauty that was his wife. She wanted him as much as he wanted her! It had been too damn long! he thought even as his pants exploded, one of her favorite little tricks. He didn't care for, at that moment, he was able to plunge, and he lost himself in her even as his face buried in her bosom.

Teak did not look. He was scared. Something didn't quite fit with the woman, who was now mating with his King, but Jareth was too blind to see! What was wrong with her? Teak wondered. She looked and smelled like his Queen, and she had popped the King's pants, so she had to be his wife! He knew the evil Helvira was dead and that Elvira would never make a move on the King. In fact, there was one point there where Elvira had almost hated the King for taking her sister away. He convinced himself that it was the Queen and, therefore, he did not call out to warn Jareth.

Jareth felt himself lost and swimming deep within the woman he loved . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Suddenly, in the distance, Kurt could hear some one shouting. He looked and cringed for there was the biggest, ugliest creature he had yet to see. Its stench reached Kurt's nostrils before the creature came closer. "Mein Gott, and zey claim I stink!" he declared. He bamfed closer to see what was causing the problem the monster seemed to have. He saw one huge, pudgy finger poking at something in an empty socket and understood, finally, what the giant thing was saying. "BAD EYE! BE STILL!"

He wondered what the Giant had mistaken for an eye and bamfed upward onto the Giant so that he could get a closer look. The other meaty hand of the Giant swiped angrily at Kurt as though he was a mere fly. Kurt hung on to the bushy hair growing on the Giant's face, and it was the only thing that saved him -- that and the agitation that the Giant was causing, trying to get some poor, pathetic creature poked into his empty eye socket. He looked closer and recognized Worm. How could he ever make the Giant hear him? He could not make his voice much louder than what Worm's poor, pathetic voice was crying. He knew Worm had to be hurting, but he did not know how to get him out of the predicament he found him in. I have to get the eye, Kurt thought. Maybe if I can position it in such a way, the thing will see it with his other eye? He bamfed and returned for the eye he had found. He could hardly stand to touch the thing, but he knew he had to get it where the Giant could see it. He had to save poor Worm! When he returned, the Giant had not moved but was still trying to squish Worm into the socket. He turned the repulsive eye toward the Giant and bamfed back to his face. Bamfing in and out several times and landing on the face each time, the Giant had his attention drawn away from Worm. Kurt only hoped that it would slow the Giant down enough to be able to rescue Worm. It aggravated the Giant. He could not get the pesky fly to leave him alone, and before Kurt knew what had happened, a giant hand slapped into the face, dislodging Kurt and making him fall to the earth. The impact would have killed a lesser man, but Kurt managed to bamf at the last second. It was the only thing that saved him.

He returned to the Giant's face immediately, reappearing next to where Worm was and praying that the Giant would look downward. All he needed was a brief second, and he could get Worm. Kurt prayed like he'd never prayed before for help.

* * *

**A Shore**

"Of course it's a real cat!" Didymus barked from where he had finally managed to right himself after being thrown, head first, into the sand. "What's wrong with you lot?" he yipped. "Just because it's got a tail doesn't mean it's not a cat! My sense of smell is never wrong, and I smell cat, or rather kitten, all over that wee one!" He hobbled over to join them.

"Too bad the little fellow can't talk," Jack spoke softly even as he reached out a tentative finger and stroked him under his chin. The kitten purred a soft rumble. "Sounds like a cat to me." Jack reached in his hand and picked the little kitten up. He could not believe how small it was. It fit in the palm of his hand with room left over!

"Try to talk to him, Didymus. See if he can talk to you. Find out what he is and where he came from."

Didymus scoffed. "I do not speak cat!"

Jack handed the kitten up to Will. "Well, you're the only one who speaks animal language," Jack told him. "Try speaking dog to him. Maybe he can understand."

Didymus shook his head and eyed Jack as though he'd taken complete leave of his senses. "It can't understand dog! It's not a dog!"

Will had taken the kitten from Jack despite his screaming nerves. Every inch of his brain told him that the creature he now held could not possibly be right or good, for that matter, as its anatomy made absolutely no sense, but as it looked up at him and blinked its baby blue eyes, Will knew that the kitten could not possibly be a threat. He would treat him as he would a cat, or a kitten, Will tried to tell himself as he focused his eyes on the tiny feline's furry face, and not pay any attention to the tail.

Elizabeth, who was now standing again, gently poked a finger at the kitten's green, scaly tail. She withdrew her finger even as the kitten was playfully trying to catch it in his tiny paws. "Maybe it's a catfish?" she asked, trying not to laugh as she smiled down at the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She looked over to where Jack appeared to be having absolutely no luck with Didymus. She smiled and shook her head. She knew how to handle this so-called Knight! "Surely," she asked, kneeling so that she could look directly into Didymus' face and softly stroking one of his furry cheeks, "a Knight as esteemed, honorable, and intelligent as yourself can find a way to bridge the gap between our languages and find out about this poor, little one who so clearly needs our . . . especially _your_ help?" Her smile brightened as she aimed it at Didymus. "I know you can if you but try, noble Knight."

Jack could not help himself. He had to smile at Elizabeth's tone and her smile. Hopefully, she could persuade Didymus to talk to the small cat. He had gotten slowly to his feet and now gazed down upon the small kitten, wondering how such a marvel could be alive and in their possession!

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Willow looked at Delvira with a questioning and annoyed expression in his green eyes. The Vampiress had lost complete track of what was going on in the room around them and was instead sitting on the bed, leaning back with her neck arched at an exposed angle, her eyes shut, and a blissful look upon her pale face. His gaze shifted to her hands as her black fingernails kneaded the sheets. A moan broke from Delvira's lips.

"What the Hell's going on?" Donkey asked from across the room. "Is this a single party, or can anybody play?"

"Donkey!" Elvira yipped with a toss of her head.

Phoebe looked at Delvira, confusion on her face and envy in her eyes. "I think she's getting laid." She looked at Delvira's hands and found them both tangled in the sheets. She shook her head. "I just don't know how."

Willow moved to stand next to Delvira. He tentatively poked her with one paw. "Are you okay in there?" he meowed. He poked her again.

Donkey had moved over to stand next to the bed. He looked closely at Delvira. He couldn't see her touching herself anywhere. "I think she is," he agreed with Phoebe.

"I just wonder how the Hell she's doing it," Toly said. "I've been there before, but you have to get your hands in there. I've never seen any one do it with their mind before!"

Joxer moved far away from the area of the bed. He wanted to make sure whatever was getting Delvira wasn't getting him. He only wanted to be laid by Phoebe, not by an invisible force.

Angel glanced at the bed. "Cordelia, don't go over there. Whatever it is causing Delvira . . . " He just shook his head, his mouth hanging open. He didn't know how to explain it. "There's no one there but her."

"Maybe she's bewitched?" Lorne managed to get out, his voice so soft and low he could barely be heard. Every eye in the room was now on Delvira.

Angel moved to block Cordy's sight. Lorne looked helplessly at Crys. What could they do to help Delvira? He wondered if she had any ideas, but she only shrugged and shook her head.

"Water, mon," Sebastian called as he, too, crept up to see what was going on. "Lots of water. Throw it on her."

"Donkey!" Elvira yipped again in protest. She rose partially up on her hind paws and leapt back down forcibly onto her front paws. She shook her head. "Get away from there! I don't want you -- you know!"

"I told you," Cindy growled, her tail striking empty air. "Men are all the same. They want it wherever they can get it and at whatever cost they can get it."

"I don't want it!" Donkey interjected. "Just trying to see what's going on!" He moved quickly back to Elvira's side and attempted to touch her nose, but she jerked her head away. "She's possessed!" he whispered.

"How would you know?" Blue asked. "You've never been with a male!"

"I don't need to have been with one to know what they're like."

"Well, you're wrong, Cindy," Crystal whispered to the lioness, her gentle stroking letting her know that there was no hard feelings despite their disagreement. "They're _not_ all like that. Your father certainly isn't."

"My _father_?!" Cindy roared. She looked up at Crys, saw that she was looking directly at Lorne, and growled again. He was good for her, but did that have to make him her father?!

"Jareth," Delvira moaned, completely oblivious to the commotion her now-thrusting body was causing.

"Virgins and children, leave the room," Angel said, looking around at the animals. "And yes, Donkey, that includes you. Out now. Whatever's going on, there doesn't seem to be any harm in it, and you definitely don't need to see the aftermath." In fact, he didn't want to see the aftermath. "Give her privacy and let her finish." Unless something actually attacked Delvira, Angel figured that was probably the best thing to do.

Phoebe folded her arms across her chest and stuck out her tongue at Angel. "That's not happening!" she declared. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Willow and Sebastian were just reaching out to touch Delvira again when a voice thundered through the house. "GET A HEALER UP HERE RIGHT AWAY!"

At that horrible sound, Rogue ran from the room and flew up the stairs. It only took her seconds to reach her room, and she was kicking herself before she ever went through the door. She never should have left Kennedy alone, even for a second, but she also felt led to be with her beloved Joseph. She knew he needed her. How could she be in two places at one time? She couldn't, and she had followed her heart only to fail and not be able to reach Joseph. She didn't know what had gone wrong. Now she gazed at the blood-soaked Kennedy and prayed that she was not dead. She didn't know what to do to help but felt that she needed to get her friend straightened out. Did she dare pull the sword out? No. She must wait for the healer to arrive. They'd know what to do. She prayed that they would hurry and that her friend would not die.

* * *

**The House**

As Carlos searched the house, memories passed, unbidden, through his mind amid bits and pieces of a song he'd heard many years ago. He had been drawn to Trina ever since they were kids, but he'd never been more determined to win her love than when they had all learned the truth about Markus. Ever since then, Carlos had thought of Trina as an Angel whose halo had been stolen and longed to be able to replace the tears in her eyes with the happiness whose joyous dance was missing from her baby blues.

Ever since then, he had been determined to become her man as he had known that he could make her happier than any other. Yet now, he wondered, doubted, and even doubted himself. He began to recall the lies he'd tried to feed her over the years and winced as his voice sounded in his head with each one. They had all been things he hoped she wanted to hear, all things that she deserved to hear. Some were even things he _needed_ her to believe. But that still made his lies just as bad as Andrew's. Only his hadn't caught up with him . . . yet.

Carlos' train of thought passed to wondering what might have happened if Andrew had not had to return. He still wasn't sure why he had but thought it had something to do with Trina's reluctance to marry him, a reluctance he had once been glad for and hoped to be the cause of. Why _had_ Trina been so reluctant? Had she feared another wedding day like her last one, or was there another reason? Did Andrew know, Carlos wondered, and would he have been able to make, and keep, Trina happy? Would he have ever told her the truth, or would he have always lied to her? What else might he have lied to her about?

His claims, at first, had sounded like pure insanity, but Carlos had just seen the proof of them. That still didn't explain why he had hidden the truths about himself for so long. But he had made Trina happy before. At times, when they'd all four been together, she'd even seemed happier than he'd ever before seen her.

Andrew wasn't deserving of Trina. Neither was he or any man he'd ever met or heard of. But could Andrew make her happy? Did he truly love her? More importantly, did _she_ love _him_?

And if they were in love and Trina could only find true bliss in Andrew's arms, where did that leave him? He loved Trina. There was no doubt in his mind about that. He'd taken other women, trying unsuccessfully to burn the forbidden out of his heart and soul, but Trina was the only woman who he had ever loved, who he could ever love. There was only one other he had ever been pulled to, and that thought . . .

Carlos shook his head firmly. He could never go there. That one was a flame even more guaranteed to extinguish him, the moth, than Trina was. He could get her to love him before the other one would ever look at him in that way. Besides, such thoughts were forbidden, disgusting, gross . . .

It wasn't something that was meant to be, Carlos told himself, or ever could be. It was something that was wrong with him, a sickness that only Trina could cure . . .

Trina wasn't in his part of the house, Carlos realized, or at least she wasn't on the first floor or ground floor. She could have gone further up, but knowing Trina, she'd be more likely to go out. Besides, he needed to get some air and clear his filthy brain. He headed back toward the beach at a quick sprint.

* * *

**The Island**

She got shakily to her feet, her long hair falling as a curtain over her naked body, and stared upward at the Giant. "Who are you?" she asked, figuring he'd run off like the first one she'd asked a question to but praying that he'd stay and help.

"I am BFG," the Giant said as he looked at what he could only think was a beautiful, naked human. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "I hear cries for help and come soon as I can. No fear. I take them home. They be safe there."

"I think the other one's dead," Janeesa told the BFG. She had barely began to speak when a dark, hairy beast lumbered out from behind the Giant and hurried over to the one who smelled so awfully.

The beast squatted beside the fallen human and looked at him gravely. Deep sadness shone on its face and eyes. "Wesley," the beast rumbled out. Its voice was gravelly like the Giant's, but unlike the Giant's, it did not sound like thunder rumbling in the Heavens. "Friend." The beast threw back its head and began to howl loudly.

A rumbling was heard, and huge rocks began to tumble toward them. The BFG looked at Ludo. "You not need call rocks. They can not help now."

Janeesa looked at the BFG and then at the hairy beast. "You can call the very rocks?" She marvelled at such a thing.

"Sure," the beast answered as though it were an every-day occurrence. "Rocks friends. Friends help." He howled again.

"Ludo," BFG reminded him gently, "do not call rocks. Bad monster gone."

Janeesa looked at Ludo. "Can you carry friend to house? We need to take them to the house. It should be close by. We can get help there."

"What house?" BFG asked Janeesa.

"Place where humans live," Janeesa told them.

"I take him," BFG said, reached down, and picked up the Golden God as though he weighed nothing.

"No more humans," Ludo moaned sadly, looking at Wesley. "All gone." He did not know how this one had managed to survive, but he believed the others to be dead.

"Humans not dead," Janeesa told him. "I returned them last night. They should still be here."

BFG picked Janeesa up and dropped her into the pocket he had put the Golden God in. "We go look house."

"Good," Janeesa said. "I will keep an eye out. Don't walk too fast," she warned for she knew that Giants could make gigantic steps and realized that he might accidentally cover too much ground. "We must find the humans."

BFG tried to take as small a step as possible, and they sat out to look for the house. Ludo followed behind them at a slower, lumbering rate, carrying Wesley.

* * *

**The House**

Bishop made a mad dash for the stairs and raced up for Rogue & Joseph's room. Without a single knock, he opened the door and ran inside. He stopped in shock for before him Kennedy had crumpled to her knees with the sword sticking into her. "OH MY GOD!" he bellowed loud enough to shake the house. "GET A HEALER UP HERE RIGHT AWAY!" He did not move forward as he did not know how to best help the girl. He feared her life was quickly fleeing away and cursed himself for not having gotten there quicker.

* * *

**A Cavern**

Kyna approached her husband on silent feet, her brown eyes full of concern and sympathy. "William," she spoke, "my love, will you be all right?" Her gentle hand comfortingly touched his shoulder.

With any one else, Spike would have shrugged his shoulders with a rustle of his trench and muttered darkly that he was as right as rain, but he would never lie to the woman he loved. Instead, he turned, taking Kyna's soft hand in his, and was about to kiss her and reassure her when his sharp ears caught the sounds of heavy flutterings. There were ten, twenty . . . Suddenly, as the fluttering sounds increased greatly in both number and nearness, Spike no longer had even a clue how many new enemies were speeding their way toward them.

Kyna, too, heard the sounds. She gripped her stake more tightly and snagged two more from her trench. She tossed one to her beloved and whirled around to face the fresh attack. Spike had just placed his back to his life partner's when the cave filled with Vampires . . .

They were of all sizes and types, Kyna's skilled eyes quickly told her, and they were all out for their blood. They attacked William first before going for her, but the two of them swiftly fell into a steady mantra of fighting and staking . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Sean was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open. He reasoned to himself that a small nap could not hurt but would refresh him to the point that he would be able to continue his journey. If Sean had known what had caused him to be so sleepy, he would have fought the nap, but as his eyes drifted shut, whisperings began to rustle in the grassy areas around him. Tiny figures began to creep up upon the sleeping Irish man from all sides.

"Is he asleep yet?" one whispered.

"I t'ink so," another answered, "but let's wait an' make sure first."

"Aye. We can get away faster the smaller we be."

They surrounded Sean completely and then began to poke and prod at him . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Frederic turned and looked in the direction Smee had indicated. He raced over with his sword at the ready. Before he realized that they were some ones that he recognized. "HOLY CRAP!" he yelled. "DAD, THEY'RE THE ONES YOU SHOT!"

"What?" James questioned even as he turned his head to look in the direction Frederic was so intently gazing down upon.

"What do I do?! How do I get rid of them?! What are they?!"

"A sword will do no good!" James told him. "You need salt and lots of it!"

"Where am I going to get salt here?" he asked, frantically looking around.

"Only two things stop a Zombie," James told Frederic, "and we don't have either one! Sunlight, which is still several hours away, and salt!"

"I have a little bit in my pocket, but it's not enough to go around." He struggled backward once more against the cake. "Come and get what I have in my pocket. Maybe it'll be enough to keep them at bay at least until Smee can get me loose."

"The weird thing about a Zombie," James told Frederic, "is that whatever part you cut off, it just reattaches itself. Don't let them touch you! You know they're evil!" Smee was still biting at the cake, but James knew something had happened. He looked closer at the last chunk that Smee had spit that was laying on the ground, and in the midst of it, lay one of Smee's teeth. "DAMN YOU!" he yelled at the Council. "YOU'RE MAKING HIM LOSE HIS TEETH! EVEN IF HE'S TOOTHLESS, I'LL STILL LOVE HIM! YOU COULD HELP HERE A LITTLE! TURN ME LOOSE SO THAT I CAN HELP MY SON AGAINST THE ZOMBIES!" In response, the cake pulled him further in.

"ASLAN!" James called out. "CAN YOU NOT SEND SOME CREATURE TO HELP FREDERIC TO FIGHT? THE BOI WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM FROM BAY UNTIL SMEE CAN SAVE US!" He tried to remember any other friendly faces who had been on the Council, but all he kept hearing in his mind was Ursula laughing. The last time he had left her, she had yelled, "I'LL GET YOU, JAMES, AND YOUR LITTLE SMEE TOO!" He felt that perhaps she was behind the cake for it was most assuredly getting them, so to speak. James felt Frederic fumbling at his pockets. "Inner most, left breast." Frederic felt deeper. Sure enough, there was a bag in there. "Not that one," James told him. "The one next to it." Frederic wondered how in the Devil his father knew which bag he had a hold to. He had felt something hard in the bag. Now, that he had the right bag, he pulled it out and looked. "Use it sparingly," James told him. "It's all we have. I don't know if it will hold out till daylight, but you only need to use a little bit on each one. Throw it at them."

Frederic raced back to where he had left the Zombies and sprinkled salt on the ones that were closest to him. They screamed and recoiled, but still continued to climb. He kept sprinkling the salt. The ones in the front went poof, bringing up two more. They seemed to be endless for, as far as Frederic could see, they were still coming. He continued fighting them as best as he could, saving as much salt as he could. He did not know if he could hold them, but he prayed that he could.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Piper could hear both Xena and Gabrielle screaming for Aphrodite as they ran and flipped away from the lightning bolts that continued to shoot at them. She was also barely avoiding the bolts, and each one came a little closer. Piper knew Xena believed that Aphrodite would help, but she wasn't so sure. If the Goddess was coming, She was certainly taking Her time in making Her appearance.

They needed help. She needed help for her godmother. She ran faster as another bolt passed by her so close that it burned the seat of her skirt. She had been trying to find shelter in the darkness but had found nothing. She needed help, and Xena and Gabby were getting nowhere calling their Goddess. "COLE! COLE! COLE, HELP!"

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Something was wrong! Cole could hear Piper calling him in his head. He didn't have time to wait for Phillip to quit disgorging animals. "I've got to go," he told the others in the room. "Something's wrong with Piper; she needs me." He shimmered.

As Cole shimmered, Prue jumped, desperately hoping to grab any part of him. Her sister was in trouble! She had to get to her! She touched his hand just as he disappeared completely, taking her with him.

Phoebe had also jumped toward Cole, but though she heard Prue mutter "Ouch" as the Book hit her in the head, she herself was left to fall across the bed. She hit the feather mattress with a fist. "No! No! It isn't fair! I've got to help Piper! And _you_, you damn mirror, have got to spot spitting out animals!" Her brown eyes glared at Phillip.

"What do you want me to do with them?" Phillip questioned. "I thought you wanted them here?"

"They need to stop coming!"

"Yeah!" Joxer chimed in. "We've got more than enough! The room is full!"

Crystal stood. "Let me pass back through, Phillip. I'll keep them company and protect them, and then some one can call us when there is time for more to come through." Now that the others had agreed to letting them come, she refused to abandon the animals of her homeland. Crys looked up, however, as she heard a deep voice yelling for help and . . . A healer?

* * *

**Somewhere**

He was running as fast as he could. He was coming closer, closer . . . Soon he would be within calling distance, and he could start shouting for her attention. A little bit more . . . The sand suddenly gave way underneath Salem's paws, and with a yowl, he fell. He tumbled across the desert ground, hitting hard clumps of sand and rocks, barely avoiding a snake or something else that hissed angrily at him.

Salem didn't know how long he tumbled across the ground, but finally, he landed on his head against something hard. He moaned as he rolled over, forcing himself to keep from losing any time. Even a second could mean the difference between life and death right now while he was fully caught in the Council's web. Salem sat up, his head spinning, and licked a throbbing paw as he tried to steady himself. He then looked ahead through dazed eyes.

Salem breathed an audible sigh of relief at what he saw. "James! James, get up, man! I need your help! And you, Sean! Why are you men just laying down? Whatever they've done to you couldn't be that bad! Not already! Whatever it is, we'll find a way to defeat them and win the day yet! Smee, pull yourself together, lad!"

"Jareth, you, of all people, know how undignified it is to lay upon the ground! What would your wife say if she could see you in such a crumpled, withered heap? Gather your courage, men, and rise! Get up! Up! Up, I say!"

Yet none of his men were moving. None were looking at him. "Victor?" he questioned another as he spotted him. "How did you come to be here? Elf? Raven? Get up, people! Get up! We will not give in so easily! We -- "

Salem's vision had been clearing the whole while he had been talking while getting glimpses of the people laying on the ground before him. Now, at last, his pupils refocused completely, and sorrow filled his heart, dropped his tail and ears, and stilled his tongue. Blood. That was not _his_ blood that he had been smelling. It was the blood of his men and his women!

His people were there before him, Salem realized, as he looked out over the sea of bodies. They were drenched in blood, and their bodies were pale, still, and oh so lifeless. Not a one seemed to be doing so much as even breathing shallowly. "NO!" he wailed, and then his human voice shattered into heart-broken meows.

They could not all be dead! No! NO! This could not have all been a trick! Salem began to walk amongst his people, having no choice but to step onto their cold bodies as the gathering was too vast and thick for him to be able to go around or slide between them. He checked each one as he walked over them, feeling for their heartbeats with paws that should be hands. Sadness choked him so that he could no longer speak, and then he began to find the Pirates.

Jack. Ororo. Zora. Vang. Kat. Ace. Lex. Dawson. "**_NNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**" Salem roared out as his tears increased tenfold. Not a one had survived. Not even Faith, he thought as he fell across her unmoving chest and finally just let himself cry . . .

* * *

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Delvira's eyes popped open at Bishop's yell. "What? Why's everybody looking at me?"

Phoebe returned Delvira's look and then asked point blank, "What were you screwing?"

At Phoebe's question, Joxer blushed seventeen shades of red. He wanted to put his hand over her mouth before she said anything else but did not dare. Only his Phoebe would be stupid enough to ask a Vampire what they were getting off with! His hand went to the hilt of his sword in case he had to fight to protect his Phoebe. He did not dare look at Delvira.

Toly had gotten off the bed and went to stand by Angel. He felt it was the safest place in the room. Phoebe's question had just set Delvira off; only Angel would have a chance of stopping her. How could women be so stupid? he thought and knew that if Elizabeth had been there, she would have been the one who had asked the question. He glanced anxiously back at Delvira.

Delvira's face fell, the embarrassment and confusion quickly being replaced by fear. "Jareth!" She jumped to her feet and rushed to the mirror, where yet another animal was hopping out. "Phillip, I've got to get to my husband immediately!"

"As much as I'd like to help you, what do you want me to do about it?"

Delvira grabbed the mirror by its gold-gilded sides. "You're going to let me go to him, you bastard, or I'll shatter you into a million pieces!"

Angel looked intently at Crys. "Can you do anything to stop them for a little while? We must check on our family. We might need to go through, and only one can pass at a time."

Crystal nodded as she continued gently lifting her necklace off. "I was just about to." Holding the necklace in her hands, she stepped over to Lorne and looked into his eyes. "I know you don't want me to, but I'm going to have to go back there. Some one must keep them safe, especially if what I've heard is correct." She lowered the necklace around his neck. "The others probably do need help, and Angel will have to help them. I need _you_ to go to Bishop and heal whoever has been harmed. Will you do that for me, love?" She searched his eyes for understanding.

Meanwhile, Blue had flown to the mirror and settled onto the antlers that had just produced. He cooed to the animals in a long series while Crystal spoke to Lorne, and then the deer's antlers disappeared back into the mirror, taking Blue with them.

"I will do my best," Lorne rasped out. "Be very careful, my love, and if you haven't returned by the time I get back from Bishop, I'm coming in there after you." His lips touched hers briefly.

Crystal nodded and cupped his green cheek lovingly. "I'll be safe, sweetheart; you be, as well." Her ice blue eyes glanced at Angel. "And you, brother," she warned before turning her gaze back to Lorne. "I know you can do it, darling, and if some one will merely call to me when the time is right for the continuation of their passage, I will return." She kissed him again and then hurried to the mirror.

Lorne hesitated to watch her go back and then raced out the door and toward Bishop's yell, dreading what he would find. Elvira and Cindy jumped as one.

* * *

**Somewhere**

The Giant grunted and began to lumber forward again. His eye was once more becoming loose in its place, and he shoved his finger back into his socket to straighten it out once more. He grunted again, this time in frustration. Why had he let those things play with him? If only he'd never encountered the strange beings, his eye never would have become loose, and he wouldn't be having such problems with it. Nor would his other eye have almost entirely stopped working. In anger, he shoved his finger deeper into the socket. Worm screamed at the pain that throbbed through his coiled body, but the Giant did not hear his screams.

The Giant lumbered forward, pushing more trees aside. He suddenly stepped on something, and his foot slipped straight out from underneath him. With a loud roar, he tried to grab for the trees, but his mighty fists only managed to snatch them up from the ground and he fell nonetheless.

Kurt barely managed to bamf off of the Giant as the Giant started falling. He hoped the fall would stun the Giant long enough for him to get to Worm. Bamfing next to the eye, he gazed down into what was now an empty socket. Worm was nowhere in sight! "Worm?" Kurt called even as his keen eyes searched the area. "Vhere are you, Worm?" He was afraid the fall had either killed the little fellow or knocked him cold. "Help me, Mein Lord! I can not find him! He has to be here, and please don't let him be under ze Giant!"

The Giant seemed to be dazed as he had not moved since the fall, and Kurt was glad of it yet still he wished he could find Worm. "Worm?" he called again hopefully. Kurt moved slowly around on the Giant, his yellow eyes scanning the area. His hope that he would find Worm was growing dimmer with each passing second, but then a golden light near the Giant's ankle caught his gaze.

Kurt bamfed to the ankle and gazed downward. "Zank you, Mein Gott," Kurt said a prayer even as he reached down to the little fellow. "Worm? Are you alive?" The poor little fellow was so covered in blood, and his tail was non-existent that Kurt was afraid that he was dead. He sought for a pulse and felt a faint one. He did not know how to heal a worm. Maybe, if he could find Jareth in this Gods-forsaken land? Nein, zat's not right, he thought. It's not Gods-forsaken. Mein Gott is here. He picked Worm up gently and put him in his pocket. He then bamfed away from the Giant.

Looking back, Kurt hoped that the Giant was not dead, merely unconscious. He felt that he had to get away before the Giant woke up for he knew there was truly nothing he could do to help him. He wanted to help him. Then he thought, Ja, zere's one zing I can do to help him. He took hold of the Giant's eye and bamfed it back to the empty socket. At least, when the Giant woke up, he'd be able to see. Kurt beat a hasty retreat. Somewhere in this world, he would find help for Worm, but now the only thing he could do was continue on his journey, waiting for the next test, which he expected at any minute.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	39. Chapter Thirtyeight

**Chapter Thirty-eight**

**Somewhere**

Never, in a million years, would Cole have willing carried a Halliwell into danger, but as he shimmered, he felt Prue grab him and he couldn't just simply throw her back into the room. A second later, he realized that not only did he have Prue, but he had the Book, as well. Prue clasped the Book tightly with one hand against her breast even as she held on tighter to Cole, afraid he would lose her somewhere before they got there.

When Cole shimmered them both to stand beside Piper, Prue did not, at first, realize what was going on, and then her eyes, like all the rest, looked upward. "Oh my Gods! Auntie 'Ro!" she exclaimed.

"I'll go up and get her," Cole told the others, "but you've got to find something in that Book to help her! I don't want to hurt her!" Despite his confident words, Cole could only hope that he could handle things once he was fully astride the situation. He realized he was probably going to end up having to hurt Ororo and hoped that Piper would understand and that he would not have to do too much damage to 'Ro. She was not going to be easy to take down, however.

* * *

**A Shore**

Wolverine did not know what the small creature was. He kept looking from Didymus to the cat, wishing Didymus would talk to the cat but doubting that it would even with sweet Elizabeth's voice so persuasively buttering him up.

"But . . . But . . . " Didymus was leaning into Elizabeth's touch even as he flustered. "But what if I fail, fair lady?"

Elizabeth stroked his fur with her fingertips and smiled at him even more brightly. "If you try, I am sure you will succeed. How could any Knight so cunning and brave as yourself possibly fail?" When he still hesitated, Liz turned her lips downward into a pout. "Won't you please try it, generous sir, even if only for me?"

"For you, lovely maiden, I would fight any monster, dare any danger!" He looked nervously at the kitten who Will still held. "I shall even try this, though it is quite unheard of. Really, a dog conversing with a kitten . . . " He stepped up to Will, cleared his voice, started to speak, and then paused as the earth shook.

Elizabeth met Wolverine's gaze with a proud smirk and a wink that seemed to say that she had known all along it would work. She froze, however, and her grin vanished as the ground shook again.

The earth trembled so greatly that Wolverine's feet almost fell out from under him. He wondered what the Hell it was this time! It was just one lucky disaster after another! Anything to prevent him to be able to go take care of and help his 'Ro! He hoped and prayed that the ones who had gone after her had saved her already. He turned in the direction that the footsteps were coming and braced himself, his mind screaming, WHAT THE HELL CAN IT BE NOW?!?!

Jack took a step in front of Will and the kitten. This also placed Elizabeth and Didymus behind him. He didn't know what was coming, but he wasn't going to let him get to his family. He stood beside his father on shaky legs, praying that he'd have the strength to fight whatever was coming.

Will turned to Elizabeth and pressed the tiny kitten gently into her hands. Her hands appeared steady, but as he passed her the tiny feline with the tail of a fish, he could feel her slight trembling. His eyes met hers. "Protect him, and keep yourself safe."

"I . . . "

Will rose a brow and looked pointedly from Elizabeth to the kitten and back up again to Elizabeth.

She nodded. "I will."

"And you," Will said, quickly turning to Sir Didymus, who he had seen how Elizabeth had handled him, "allow us to do the battling this time, comrade, while you protect yon fair maiden and the little one she holds." His lips twitched, and he had to fight to keep from grinning. He swallowed his laughter as the earth shook again so mightily that he almost fell and had to catch Didymus and Liz both to steady them.

"I will do my best," Sir Didymus yipped as he drew his sword. "Good luck, my friends! If you need me, call!"

Will nodded. "Thank you, Sir." He turned his back on the others and hurried forward. He had barely stepped into place on Jack's other side than whatever huge beast it was stepped again. This time, the ground shook so much that the whole group did fall down. Before they could get back to their feet, Will spotted a hand grasping the tops of a few trees and pulling them aside. He looked at Jack with large eyes at the face he could now see peering down at them.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Delvira had stepped aside only to let Crystal and her animals pass so that the other animals would stop coming. Now she flew back in front of the mirror and hissed at him, her fangs bared. "Show me Jareth! I must reach him!"

Normally, Phillip would have hesitated at the tone that Delvira used, but as she was the wife of Jareth, he did not. Like the others gathered in the room, he wondered what was happening to Jareth, what had happened to Delvira, and if he was okay. The image flickered on, and Delvira roared. "I knew it! Those fucking bastards! I'll slay every one of them! I'll burn them all to ashes while they still breathe!" She dashed into the mirror, screaming Jareth's name at the top of her lungs.

"Damn!" Phoebe breathed. "Is that -- ?! It can't be! . . . Can it?" She stared at the image of Jareth making wild, passionate love to a woman who looked identical to Delvira.

Cordelia looked at the mirror and snatched her gaze away, her face only slightly less red than Joxer's. She looked to Angel for an explanation. "How can that be possible? Would they have . . . Surely they would not have delivered him to Helvira, even if she does still live?"

"The Council can, and will, do anything they want to do against them," Angel told Cordelia. "If it's not Helvira, then it's one of the shapeshifters that can assume anything they want to look like. I won't feel sorry for them when Delvira gets her claws on them; she'll make them pay big time. I don't think it's Helvira, but the Council would not be above summoning her spirit to do their dirty deeds."

"Phillip, show me Spike and Kyna." He had a dread feeling about them in the pit of his gut. Something awful was happening. He could sense it even though he couldn't see it. He held on to Cordelia for a moment longer as the picture swirled and changed. He could not believe the horror that lay before his eyes. Spike and Kyna were in a cave, back to back, in the midst of more Vampires than he'd ever seen except at a Vampfest. They looked to be the main course. "Gotta go!" Angel told Cordy. He kissed her very quickly and was gone through Phillip before Cordelia could react. "Change picture immediately, and don't come back to me no matter what Cordy threatens you with! She can't fight Vamps!"

* * *

**A Cavern**

Angel appeared next to Spike and Kyna. "Damn it, Phillip; I didn't mean in the midst of it! I would've liked the element of surprise! Hello, Spike," he called as he ducked an incoming blow. His fists shot out underneath the Vampire's outstretched arms, and the Vamp fell back at the force that plowed into his stomach. "Kyna!" He didn't have to ask what was going on. He would have liked to have known what started it, but as the Vamps continued to plow into them, Angel fought to the best of his ability. He longed for a stake or something else to actually dust the other Vampires with, but, regardless, he had no intention of losing or of losing his family.

Spike grunted as he staked another one and met the next one with a sharp kick to the face. "Hullo, Pops!" he teased with a fang-filled grin. "Didn't think you'd make it! Welcome to the foray!" After dusting another Vampire, he caught the next fist that flew at his face with his teeth and ripped a piece of skin. The Vampire screamed. Spike spit the skin out and dusted the Vamp before moving to the next one.

Kyna leapt into the air, both her legs kicking out and into the chests of two who had decided to rush her at the same time, as most of them seemed to be doing. As they fell back into two more Vampires, another two rushed at her. She dusted them swiftly, then took a split second to grab another stake from inside her jacket. "Angel!" She called his name as she ducked a hand that was going for her neck. The hand clutched empty air, and Kyna shot her stake home before tossing the other two to Angel and retrieving a fresh second stake. She instantly returned her full attention to the battle.

Quickly grabbing another Vampire's shoulders, Angel knocked his head against the other's and let him fall back into his brethren while he grabbed the stakes that hurtled his way. "Thanks!" he called back as he grasped the two stakes in his hands. He twirled them around once, then drove them straight into two Vampires. Even as their dust rained down to join that of those who had gone before them, he moved on to the next two. He dusted them swiftly, and their dust mingled with the two before them as they all rained down together. With a fangy grin at the progress that was being made, Angel continued on.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Cordelia's hands beat helplessly at the darkened glass of Phillip's surface. "Ouch!" the mirror cried out. "Stop that! It hurts! I can not help it; I must not let you pass!"

"What do you mean you must not let me pass?!" Cordelia demanded angrily. "Angel needs help!"

"But you may not help him!"

"Who says?" she questioned. "That darned Council?! Well, I've got a thing or two to say to them!"

"It's not the Council."

"Then who is it?"

"Angel."

Cordelia's hazel eyes shot wide with frustration, aggravation, and surprise. "Ooo!" When she got her hands on him . . . But wait. Maybe he'd wanted her to help with Connor instead? After all, as she didn't see the lad in the room, chances were that he had gone over to help his fathers. "Phillip, show me Connor."

If Phillip had had eyes, he would have rolled them. If he had had a head, he would have shook it. As it was, however, he could only show Cordelia the image she requested. Her forehead creased as she watched the happenings taking place before her. Connor and James Hook appeared to be stuck in some kind of . . . some kind of _giant cake_?! "What in the world?!" she mused aloud.

"I NEED SOME ONE TO TAKE SOMETHING TO CAPTAIN HOOK!" the booming voice of Rubeus Hagrid suddenly called up from down below.

Cordelia looked in the direction of the loud, rumbling voice. She had no idea who was calling out, but that really didn't matter. Whatever it was, it must be something to help James, but why couldn't the person take it to him himself? She shrugged and headed toward the kitchen.

* * *

**A Shore**

"**_Holy shit!!!_** It's the biggest damn giant monkey I've ever seen!" Jack backed up against Will. "I have a feeling it wants me; don't let it get me! Please don't let it get me!"

Wolverine had moved closer to stand back by Jack and Will. "It'll have to come through me first, son." He popped his claws and waited. He had never been quite sure why Jack was so terrified of monkeys, but he knew the boy always had been and that Devil that had inhabited Barbossa's monkey had never given Jack a moment of peace. He had only made Jack's fears worse. But a _giant_ monkey?! How low the Council was stooping!

Will was surprised at how quickly Jack had managed to scuttle backwards against him and at the panicked exclamations that poured from his lover's mouth. He put a hand on his love's shoulder and squeezed him reassuringly. "It won't lay one filthy paw on you, my love, not if we've anything to say about it." He kissed Jack's tanned cheek from behind and stepped around and in front of his beloved. He now stood beside Wolverine and glanced worriedly down at the short man who he could hear growling out of the corner of his eye. Then, as he immediately returned his attention to the ugly, giant monkey, Will drew both swords.

Jack fussed at himself for his reaction. After all, this wasn't the same monkey that had belonged to Barbossa. It wasn't the monkey that had attacked him as a child. He looked at the scar that had been attacked by that monkey. It was red; it usually stood out, in Jack's mind, more than any one else could see. "Gods, how I hate monkeys!" he moaned aloud. "Why do they always look for me?!" His trembling hand went to his sword. There was no way that damn monkey was going to catch him trembling on the ground, like a crab! He wasn't sticking his head in the sand like an ostrich, but his face blanched white as he realized that the monkey had not taken his damn eyes off of him for even one second! "It's gonna get me!" Jack said. "I know it; I can feel it! Why the Hell is it always me with monkeys?!" He waited for the attack, a prayer trembling on his lips. "Aphrodite, save me, please!"

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Autolycus picked a sword up and held it in his hand. "I'm going to where Elizabeth is," he told Joxer.

"Ya can't! There's already three over there!" Joxer reminded him.

"Then I'll find some other way. Phillip, show me Elizabeth." Never in a million years would Autolycus have imagined a giant monkey, and he watched in shock and amazement as the monkey's huge hand came down over the top of the small group of defenders. It bypassed the group and landed squarely around Jack, picking him up despite the fact that Jack was hitting him over and over again with the sword.

As the monkey had reached down to them, Will and Wolverine had rushed forward to meet it and put themselves between it and Jack, but the hand had merely reached over them as though they were not even there or, if they were, they were merely bugs. Will yelled in horror as the hand plucked Jack up, and Wolverine cursed a blue streak. The blacksmith thought quickly and, as the hand started to pull away, he sheathed one sword, ran as fast as he could, and leapt onto the hand. Will clung to the hand, determined not to let the beast take Jack away from him, but the monkey only shook its hand increasingly violently until Will, at last, had his grip snatched away from him and knocked to the ground.

"Will!" Elizabeth cried as she rushed forward, never seeing the green tentacle that snuck out of the water and coiled quietly around Didymus' ankle.

"Phillip, I want to go in there and help them."

"You can't. I can't send you to Jack."

"Then send me to the damn monkey!"

"What monkey?" Joxer demanded to know as he drew even closer, his eyes going as round as saucers. "You wanna go to th-th-th-th-th-that thing?!" he managed to stutter out.

"Got to," Autolycus told him. "I've played around long enough with you, trying to keep you out of trouble. Now I've got to go defend my woman." He jumped through the mirror and landed on the huge monkey's head. He began to poke the monkey with his sword. "LET HIM GO!" Toly kept yelling over and over again, emphasizing his words with a blow each time, but they seemed to bounce off of the monkey as though the monkey was a rubber ball. He could not cut the tough, sinewy skin. He could see the giant monkey squeezing Jack even tighter, and far below, he could hear the others hollering as they were attacking the monkey from below.

* * *

Phoebe had witnessed the changing images in the mirror and had turned to the Book. She was still sitting on the bed, but now she was hurriedly flipping through the ancient book with the tabby cat watching intently from right behind her elbow. She didn't know what the cat's problem was, but she didn't pay him any attention as she hurriedly flipped through its pages. For the life of her, she couldn't imagine how Jack and the others could possibly fight a gigantic monkey. The birthday cake that wanted to eat James, Smee, and their boys was bad enough, but a giant monkey?!

"There has to be a spell that can help somewhere in here," Phoebe muttered, more to herself than any one else. "Summoning, vanquishing, vanquishing again, teleportation, rainstorm, tracking, vanishing, vanquishing . . . Nothing to fight giants? Nothing to stop a monkey? Come on! There's gotta be something in here!" She flipped the pages harder, and then they suddenly seemed to take over with a force of their own.

Phoebe held her hands over the book and watched in amazement as the pages turned swiftly until she was far closer to the end of the Book than she had been. She murmured over the spells to herself before looking back at one in particular. She murmured quietly to herself as she reread the spell. She looked at the mirror again and watched as the men continued trying, still with no luck, to defeat the monkey though, at least, the money was roaring in pain now. "That oughta help." Pressing the Book close to her chest, she stood up. "I'm going in," she announced to the few who remained in the room.

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than Phoebe ran at the mirror and jumped into its glass. As she passed through Phillip, clinging tightly to the Book and ducking her head instinctively, she whispered to the mirror. "Don't let Joxer come after me. Poor baby. He wants to be a fighter, but he isn't." She knew she also was not a fighter, but at least she had her magick to help. "Protect him, Phillip." Her world exploded into blinding colors that flew past her.

* * *

**Joseph & Rogue's Bedroom**

Lorne's face turned a paler shade of green when he saw Kennedy and the sword still protruding out of her. "The first thing we have to do," he said quietly, "is to get the sword out. The second thing, I have to put this around her neck." He looked at Rogue. "You get the sword out." Then he turned to look at Bishop, who was very pale. He wanted to get Bishop out of the room before the big guy fainted. "You're a great buttkicker," he told Bishop. "Phillip might have need of you."

Bishop's hand had been stroking the cat who rode on his shoulder. "Are you sure?" he asked Lorne. "I don't mind staying."

"Phillip probably needs you desperately," Lorne told him. "There's a lot of mess going on, a lot of people needing help. The necklace will do most of the work in here."

Bishop stared at the green Demon. He thought his name was Lorne, but he wasn't sure. Was he speaking the truth, or was he lying so that he could get the two women alone and steal their souls? Did he dare to leave them alone? He didn't answer Lorne, just looked at him.

Lorne figured the big guy was in too much shock to be able to do anything at the moment, so he turned back to face Kennedy. Poor child, he thought. She has been through too much, and to lose the love of her life . . . I can understand her reasoning. He brushed her hair back out of her eyes even though the child was unconscious, Lorne had wanted to touch her in some soothing manner. He tried to keep his mind off of Crys and his worry about what was happening on the other side of the mirror at the North Pole. Had their combined efforts truly killed Frostbite, or could he be lurking out there, just waiting to get his grubby paws on his beloved? He took the necklace and placed it around Kennedy's neck.

Rogue had moved to Kennedy's side, and she now had the hilt of the sword firmly in her hand. "When I put the necklace on her," Lorne told her, "pull the sword right then. The necklace will do the rest."

Rogue trusted Lorne but didn't know if the necklace would actually work. She believed Lorne believed it would work, and she believed in Lorne. She closed her eyes tightly and pulled the sword as the necklace was settling around Kennedy's neck. Gods, please let this work! she prayed. She opened her eyes and watched as the necklace glowed. The necklace's blue glow bathed Kennedy's body. Rogue watched as it seemed to gently caress her friend's body.

Bishop backed out of the room, shaking his head. Too much sorcery, he thought. The world seems to evolve around it these days. He continued back to the room he had been in before where Phillip was. "Phillip, I've been told to report to you. Do you have need of me?"

* * *

**Somewhere**

Hansel stared at Faith's face, willing his little sister to awaken so that he could tease her, let her tease him, they could get out of this Hellhole, and everything would be all right. He did not know how long they had been here now, the four of them gathered around Faith's unconscious body and remaining silent as they each listened and cringed either outwardly or, at least, inwardly at the sounds of the sandworms who continued, even now, to jump up, gnash their teeth angrily, and dive back into the sand. One would think they would have calmed down by now, Hansel thought, but he guessed that as long as they could smell fresh prey, they would continue.

His blue eyes gazed at Faith's face. It was a miracle that she showed no sign of harm now, but still she had yet to awaken and he was beginning to fear that she might not. He felt Chong's hand cover his gently, and he glanced up, his unspoken emotions clear in his eyes. He smiled sadly as Chong lifted his hand, wrapped his fingers around it, and kissed the back of his hand before settling their hands back together onto the ground. "She will be all right."

Hansel nodded and looked back down at Faith. She should be, he knew. After all, she'd been through much worse. But he still couldn't help fearing . . . His thoughts broke off as her face twitched. He leaned forward, watching expectantly and hopefully as Faith's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Dawson had not moved from Faith's side. He still held her hand and, when her beautiful eyes opened, he hoped that he was the first sight she saw. When her eyes did open, he was gazing lovingly down into them. He wasn't too sure he liked Hansel being as close to Faith as he was, especially since he was naked, but he could tell that the man loved Faith. If Faith didn't love him in return when she woke up, Dawson would get rid of Hansel even if he had to fight him to do so. He smiled a gentle smile when he saw Chong touching Hansel; he knew there was a lot of love between the two. But still he was kind of shaky about Faith. Was Hansel telling the truth? Was Faith his little sister, or was something else going on that both he and Chong were unaware of? Only time would tell.

"Faith?" he queried, hoping she was now able to answer.

The first sound out of Faith's lips was a groan, but then she sat up so quickly that she almost bumped heads with Dawson and Hansel. "Dawson," she cried, "you're alive! What about Jack, Lex, Salem? Have you seen them? Are they okay?!"

"Easy, sweetheart," Dawson told her. "They were never here in the first place, only me. Salem wasn't even here. It was a test. I think you passed it, but you got hurt. We were worried about you. Somebody's here to see you," he told her as he moved a little bit out of her eyesight so that she could see Hansel's worried face.

The very second he realized Dawson was beginning to move so that he could have a moment with Faith, Hansel hid his worry and cocked a grin instead. When she looked at him in surprise, he grinned bigger. "Welcome back to the land of the living, little bitchy."

Faith grinned before realizing that Hansel was naked. She glanced between Dawson and Hansel and asked quietly, "You two getting along?"

Hansel cocked his head toward Dawson. "The kid's got big claims. You finally fall in the big one?"

She smiled. She'd continue to accept Dawson for now, but if things went downhill and the worst started to happen, she'd have to find a way to push him away. None of her worry showed in her gaze, however, as she replied with the same drawl Hansel was using, "Hook, line, and sinker." Concern flickered in her gaze. "But are you guys sure they weren't here? They seemed so real . . . It all seemed so real . . . "

"It was an illusion," Sam told her, stepping forward so that she could see him. "I don't know what happened. I don't think that they intended for you to be hurt, but you were. I healed you. You're gonna be all right now, Faith. I'm going to return home, and I'll send something for you two," he said, looking at Chong and Hansel. "Meanwhile, don't stand up." He orbed, and then he was gone.

"I'm trying to get along with him," Dawson told Faith. "He claims to be your brother. You have a lot of brothers. Most of them I trust, but I don't trust him." He glared at Hansel.

"Yeah, and with blondie's big mouth, I can guess why." She gently gripped Dawson's chin in her hand and turned his head so that he again looked down upon her. "You're the only one I've ever ridden twice and the only one I've ever wanted to ride more'n once. 'Sides if we hadn't been drunk and desperate, I never would've ridden Hansel in the first place. He's not my type, but he is my brother. We go as far back as Jack and I do."

"Then, as your brother, I accept him," Dawson told Hansel and held his hand out. "But if you ever get your eyes back on Faith again, you and I are gonna fight. She's my all. She's my Angel, my darling, and I love her with all of my heart. I can't live without her, although the Fates keep trying to tear us apart."

Hansel was still grinning cockily and was just beginning to reach his hand out for Dawson's over Faith's prone body when a great tremble passed through the mountain. "What the -- ?" Faith did not even have time to get the words out before the mountain cracked and the four began to fall . . .

* * *

**A Shore**

Will slowly lifted his head off of the ground. He spit out dirt and looked ahead through bleary eyes to where Wolverine was still valiantly attempting to fight the giant monkey who held his beloved Jack captive. "Will, are you okay?" He could feel Elizabeth's hand on his back and knew, from her touch, that she was kneeling beside him, but her voice sounded a hundred miles away.

Will reached out, felt for the sword that he had dropped, found its hilt, and wrapped his hand around it. "You're in no shape to fight, Will! Let me go for you!"

"No," he ground out as he forced himself to his feet. He almost fell back down immediately, but Elizabeth caught him and helped him to steady. "You've got to listen to reason! It's not going to do you or Jack any good if you go after him only to -- "

Sudden, sharp yipping snatched their attention to where Didymus was now dangling upside down from the end of a long tentacle. "Sir Didymus!" Elizabeth cried. She felt a rush of wind pass her and turned back to see that Will was racing after the monkey with both swords now held high and a battle cry thundering from his lungs. She shook her head, turned, and rushed to help Didymus.

"Stay away, fair maiden, but do catch!"

"What?" Elizabeth only had a brief moment to contemplate the dog Knight's words before a coconut shell that seemed to be mewling at the top of its nonexistent lungs hurtled at her. She caught it just as the monster sucked Didymus into the water.

* * *

**Somewhere**

They ran side by side, Erik running as fast and hard as he could but Joseph running only as fast as he could without outrunning his brother. He refused to leave him behind and wished that he could simply fly them out of the danger they were now facing but knew that they would only place them more readily in the Dementors' sights. No, they had to stay on the ground, but maybe if . . .

Joseph whirled around at the sound of Erik's yell. He turned to help him up, but Erik tried to wave him off. "Go. Go on without me. I won't let them take you too."

"They're not taking either of us!" Joseph exclaimed. "I won't lose you again, and I'm not going to leave you!" He reached to his brother and was troubled at the sight of Erik's wrinkled, paled face covered in sweat and the sound he made as he struggled and gasped for breath. His body was too old to run as they were having to do. Joseph tried again to help Magnus but was again brushed off by his hands.

Erik forced himself up to a sitting position and then looked into Joseph's eyes. "You can not let me slow you down."

Joseph shook his head. "We're going to have to face them."

"What? We can't face them! We could never win! Our lives -- "

"Though I've missed you, brother, I didn't realize it before. I didn't even remember you, and I was happy, very happy, with Rogue."

Joseph moved to get to his feet but stopped when Erik caught his arm. "What if it's not enough?"

"It will have to be," Joseph returned, "because I will not leave you, my brother. I will either defeat the Dementors or we will go out together. Just as it always should have been."

"What of your Rogue?"

Joseph's face saddened, and Erik's heart felt for his little brother. "I pray it will not come to that, but we have no other choice."

"There is always a choice!"

"No," Joseph spoke as he slipped his hand inside his brother's cloak and felt for his wand, "there isn't." He felt Erik go stiff with fear even before he felt the blood in his veins go as cold as ice. He looked up as his fingers closed around a thin piece of wood and felt fear clog his own throat as he witnessed the two Dementors, circling like starving vultures above them.

"Run!" Magnus cried. "Leave me! You have to, Joseph! _Go!_"

But Joseph ignored his brother even as Magnus shoved him away from him. He ignored the Dementors as they swooped closer in. Instead, he pictured Rogue. He remembered her touch, recalled the sweet taste of her lips, felt again her body moving against his . . . He thought back over all the times they'd been together, each time she'd kissed him or let him kiss her, every time she'd dared to touch him or allow him to caress her . . . He felt each touch and tasted each kiss again. He remembered the love, happiness, and pride that had swelled in him when she had finally told LeBeau to get lost. He recalled the way she'd looked at him when he had helped her to control her powers for the first time. He heard again her whispered words of love. He remembered the first time they'd made love and saw again the trust and love that had shone in his beloved's beautiful, green eyes.

Finally, just as the Dementors were closing in upon his brother, Joseph brought up one last memory. He clung to it. He gazed again into Rogue's eyes, once more felt her touch, heard the tinkle of happiness in her voice . . . As the words she'd spoken to him that night, the words that always meant so much to him every time he heard her say them, echoed again in his mind, he rose Magnus' wand. As he clung to the memory of the first time Rogue had told him how much she loved him and always would, Joseph's voice thundered out. "**_EXPECTO PATRONUM!!!!_**"

The response to Joseph's spell was immediate as a huge, silver animal leapt from Erik's wand and chased after the Dementors. As soon as they were out of sight, Joseph gripped Magnus' arm and pulled him to his feet. "Now, let's go while we have a chance. It's been too long since I cast a spell. It may or may not keep them away, so we best hurry while we can!"

Erik nodded, and the two again ran side by side as they hurried to put as much distance between themselves and the Dementors as possible . . .

* * *

**A Shore**

Jack had to fight his rising panic. He knew that, if he panicked, it would all be over with. He barely had room to move slightly around inside the confiding hand. He could hear his dad hollering and figured that he was fighting with all that he was worth. He could hear Will hollering, but he couldn't see either of them. He kept striking at the huge hand, hoping that it would open and let go of him. Even if he fell to the ground, it was better than being in the monkey's hand. How could such a horrible thing exist and be after me like this?! Jack thought.

Taking his sword, he tried to drive it straight through the monkey's hand, but it did not work. I have the Council to owe a payback for this, Jack reminded himself. I won't let them win! He searched his mind for a clue, but he had not the foggiest idea as to how to bring down the giant monkey. He felt the monkey take a step and his teeth bump together, causing him to think of another thing he had that he could use against the great simian - his teeth! Jack bit down as hard as he could on the palm of the hand. He was rewarded with a roar of pain. He bit down even harder.

* * *

**The House**

A huge, shadowy bulk filled the bottom of the staircase, and Cordelia looked down at it apprehensively. Her hand touched the rail, but she neither proceeded nor backed up though part of her wanted to run in the opposite direction. "W-Who . . . " She swallowed hard, firmed her voice, and spoke up again. "Who's down there?"

"I am," Hagrid's voice boomed back up. "I have a package that must be carried to James Hook. Professor Xavier has just sent me word that James Hook is in desperate need of this." He looked up at the stairs and thought he had never seen a more beautiful woman. "Who are you?" he asked.

Cordelia wished for some sort of light, a candle or a lantern, anything that she might use to light the big man below her so that she could be sure of what she was going into. She slowly began to walk down the steps, her hand grazing the rail lightly as she proceeded down. "You still have not told me who you are," she told him, using her most gentile tone. "I believe I recognize your voice, but I can not see you to be certain. Are you the Giant from earlier?" she questioned. "Rubeus Hagrid, I believe?"

"Yes, ma'am, Rubeus Hagrid at yer service." He gave her a box and then stood and watched as she gracefully descended the staircase. "I don't know if yer'll be able to carry the package or not. It is rather heavy." He pointed to the bag that sat at the bottom of the stairs. "Are you the only one who's up there now? You might not be strong enough to carry that."

"The rest are quite busy with other things," Cordelia said with a smile as she neared the friendly Giant. Her hazel eyes turned to the large bag that sat next to him. "I'm sure I can manage," she spoke determinedly before lightening her tone again, "and my name is Cordelia Chase." Taking a firm grip of the bag, she tried to lift it but was unable. She hid her grimace well. She'd help James and, in so doing, undoubtedly, Angel's son, one way or another. She might have to drag the bag up, but by Gods, she'd get it to them one way or another! She began to drag the bag toward the staircase.

Hagrid looked dubiously at Cordelia, trying to pull the bag. "I wish I could carry it fer ya. It's gonna be very hard to take up those stairs. You sure there's no one else?"

"Trust me, Hagrid," Cordelia spoke slowly between quiet grittings of her teeth as she lugged the bag upwards. "Of the three people left in the room, I'm the best one for the job." She didn't even want to consider what Joxer or, for that matter, Phoebe would do with this thing. "What's in here, any way? It feels like a ton of bricks!"

"Salt, an' James Hook will need it desperately. Unfortunately, that's not all Xavier told me. They're never very clear on their orders; they just tell ya what they want done an' how soon they want it done most o' the time." He slowly turned away and went back to the kitchen. He figured that this time tomorrow, the girl would still be trying to get it up the stairs, but there just wasn't anything he could do about it. He glanced around the room at all the food that had been prepared and no one had come to eat it. We'll just have ta do somethin' about that, Rubeus, ol' boy, he told himself. He promptly stacked a plate high, sat down, and began to eat. Never once did it cross Hagrid's mind to send a bag of food to James' group, and if it had, he would have wondered how the girl could have possibly managed it if she had managed the salt.

* * *

**Will & Jack's Bedroom**

Joxer screamed Phoebe's name as she jumped through the mirror. Clinging to his sword tightly, he went to jump behind her only to collide with Phillip's smooth glass. "PHILLIP," he screamed, "LET ME THROUGH! LET ME THROUGH AT ONCE! I MUST GET TO MY PHOEBE! SHE CAN'T FIGHT THAT THING ALONE! I'M JOXER THE MIGHTY! I COULD DO HIM IN!"

"You help Phoebe?" Phillip bellowed condescendingly. "Stop beating my glass! You couldn't fight your way out of a burlap sack!"

"Yes, I can! Give me a chance! Let me in there!"

Phillip warned, "Do not hit me again, Joxer," just as Joxer's fist hit Phillip. "If you continue, you will break my glass and Phoebe will never get back."

Joxer backed up and stared angrily at Phillip. "Why won't you let me through? I need to be with my Phoebe! She needs me! I can too fight!" He sniffled. "Nobody'll let me, though. Why won't you let me through?"

"Phoebe told me not to."

Joxer couldn't stop the tears. Not even Phoebe wanted him! He sat down on the floor and began to cry. Xena and Gabby didn't want him, and now his Phoebe didn't want him. Maybe he wasn't worth wanting? He continued to wail and call Phoebe's name, and Phillip and the others did their best to block him out.

* * *

**A Shore**

Elizabeth was torn between going to help Will, Jack, and Wolverine and diving in after Sir Didymus. Normally, there would have been no contest, but she knew that the small dog Knight, no matter how courageous his heart might be, stood little to no chance against whatever had pulled him into the water. Where had her sword gone? Liz wondered. She'd be no use to any one without it. The moonlight glinted against silver, and she hurried toward it.

Elizabeth fell back in shock when Phoebe suddenly dropped out of the sky and onto the ground. It took the blonde a moment to recover from her shock, but then she hurried over. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Phoebe retorted as she sat up, her aching head spinning.

The moonlight shone on the ancient book Phoebe still clutched to her breast, and Elizabeth offered the girl a hand. "Sorry," she said as she pulled her to her feet. "I just know you're not a fighter."

"I'm not," Phoebe admitted, "but I think this will help." As soon as she was steady, Phoebe held the huge book out in her arms and began to read the spell. A rustling wind tried to turn the pages for her, but Elizabeth caught the page and held it still. She peered over the younger woman's shoulder as Phoebe read the spell.

Phoebe's voice rose as the wind rose.

"Changing seasons changes all.  
Life renews as creations call.  
Nothing is immune; everything transmutes.  
So take this monkey and give him roots!"

The monkey was already howling angrily by the time the spell finished. As Phoebe read the last word, both women looked up to see what good the spell would do . . .

* * *

**Somewhere**

Xena had finally ceased calling Aphrodite when she had realized that Ditey, for whatever reason, was not going to answer. She wondered why She was letting them down. Had they unknowingly done something to anger Her? Was She not allowed to help them here? Surely the Council could not even have sway over Her? Yet She was ignoring them . . . Why?

Xena came to a momentary stop beside Prue, who was kneeling, holding the Book, and wishing desperately for a light. The Pirate Princess knew that, despite its wealth of information, the Book would do them no good right now. She felt Piper come up beside them to check on her sister and knew Gabrielle was headed their way, as well, as Cole shimmered upward. She trusted Cole's abilities but knew that an unleashed Weather Witch was not at all a good thing to cope with.

As Cole appeared on top of Ororo, he snaked his arms quickly around her. She screamed louder as she struggled against him, kicking, hitting, and clawing, but he held her firmly and pinned her arms to her sides. Her fingers stretched out, tossing more lightning bolts, and the group below scattered just in time to avoid being hit.

Xena stayed on alert both for more lightning bolts and for Cole's return. The very second she saw him rematerialize, she flipped to him. Flipping over him where he held Ororo, who was fighting with all she had and blasting him with winds and rain though no lightning bolts, which surprised and relieved both he and Xena, Xena landed behind them. She turned swiftly and expertly struck Ororo's neck. She fell out in Cole's arms.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	40. Chapter Thirtynine

**Chapter Thirty-nine**

**Jack & Will's Bedroom**

Phillip had finally had enough. He looked at Joxer again. "You should be glad she didn't want you to go through. It's dangerous. You might have gotten killed, and then Phoebe would be crying."

Joxer didn't hear him, though. He was too lost to his tears.

* * *

**The House**

Left alone in the hallway, Cordelia let herself grunt, groan, and sweat freely as she hauled the bag of salt slowly up the staircase. She was finally beginning to manage it quite well, or so she thought, when her foot slipped out from under her. She cried out involuntarily as she fell onto the staircase. Brushing the hair out of her face, she glared angrily at the heavy bag. "You're going to James and the others," she told it. She grabbed hold of it as she got to her feet and renewed her struggles. "Even if it kills me."

What would they need salt for, Cordelia wondered, and how long did they have? Time might well be of the essence, but she had no way to know. After all, what, besides cooking, did one use salt for? Was there any way to get it up the staircase faster? Joxer would only end up getting trapped by the bag, and she knew she had more strength than Phoebe. Lorne and Rogue were gone to help with whatever, or whoever, Bishop had found, and the others were gone except for the animals. She could call Donkey, but it would probably only fall off of his back. Knowing their degrading luck, the bag probably wouldn't stop falling until it hit the last rung of the staircase.

"Need a hand, ma'am?" Cordelia jumped at the quiet voice that unexpectedly spoke up from behind her and looked quickly over her shoulder as two masculine hands with hardened calluses took the bag from her. "Where are you headed with this thing?"

Cordelia stared at the blonde man, then hurried to press herself against the wall and get out of his way. "The mirror. James Hook needs it."

"Well, I can't go jumping through any portal again any time soon -- not until I find my sister at least -- but I can get this there for you."

"Thanks." Cordelia smiled. "Trent, isn't it?"

He nodded as he began hauling the bag quickly up the steps. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

**A Shore**

Toly had been on the monkey's head, hitting him with the hilt of his sword, for what seemed like forever. The only thing it seemed to do was to make the monkey madder, because he was constantly having to duck as the monkey's free hand was shooting up and trying to catch the flea that was bothering it.

Wolverine had been chasing the giant monkey for what seemed like forever to no avail. Suddenly, up ahead, the monkey came to a stand still as though he had been bounced into a trap of some kind. He raced to catch up with the monkey. Once there, he looked at the monkey's feet in disbelief as they had been pulled into the ground and were stuck fast. Sheathing his sword, he began to climb up the monkey's body, hoping to reach Jack's side soon. He had lost track of Will and Elizabeth and hoped that they were both safe, but he figured that they were doing their best to help Jack as well as he was. He looked down and saw that Elizabeth was on the ground and, by the light of the moon, he could see Phoebe, as well. What was she doing here? he wondered. Then he saw that she was holding the Book clutched tightly against her breast. He could not see Will or Didymus anywhere. "I'm comin', Jack!" he called, hoping that Jack could hear him even though he was only half-way up.

Will had slid to a stop on the beach when he had witnessed something apparently growing from the monkey's feet. It looked like long strings from the distance that parted them, but as Will watched in amazement, those long strings caught hold of the ground and stuck the monkey to it. Swallowing his surprise, Will raced in and was even more astounded to see the monkey trying to snatch its massive feet away from the ground and the roots that held him firmly. Will shook it off, thinking to himself that it was yet another Supernatural occurrence that whose explanation he probably did not want to know, and ran to the monkey's foot. He jumped up just as the monkey snatched its foot again and caught hold of the beast's ankle. Will sheathed his sword, grabbed a handful of hair, and began to pull himself up. He did not know what had happened to the monkey and did not want to know; he only hoped he could reach Jack in time. He heard Wolverine shouting above him but did not hear any answering call from Jack. Will doubled his speed.

Wolverine continued to call Jack's name as he climbed. He did not know what was keeping the monkey's free hand busy at the top of his head, but he was thankful that it was not reaching out for him. After a bit, he heard Jack's answering call. Jack wanted to know where Will was; he had seen him thrown and prayed that his love was all right. Wolverine couldn't tell him, because he hadn't seen Will again. He, too, hoped the boy was all right. Instead of telling Jack that he didn't know where Will was, Wolverine chose to ignore the question and tell Jack he'd be there in a few minutes, better to save that argument until he'd actually seen Jack face to face. He knew that if Jack didn't find out where Will was, he'd send Wolverine to look for him. Jack waited impatiently for his father to reach him.

Will breathed a sigh of relief as he heard Jack answer Wolverine at long last. The sound of his lover's voice gave him renewed strength and Will began grabbing more hair and pulling himself up faster and faster. He ached to reach Jack, get him out of this place, and show him how much he meant to him. The thoughts of what he would like to do to and with Jack led Will's mind to a darker place, and memories flashed through his mind's eye. He groaned at the remembered tortures but was not aware of any sound slipping out of his mouth. He could see Anamaria again, telling him that she would use him to lure Jack and then kill them both. He could feel the blade of her knife again, and one of his hands instinctively left the monkey to feel of his crotch. He was in tact, he reassured himself. He had been healed. He should be all right. But what if it didn't work? What if he couldn't . . . ?

The monkey suddenly roared, and the hand that was closed around Jack in a tight fist slapped down at the area where Will was clinging unwittingly to his hair. Will flattened himself into the monkey's leg and barely missed getting swatted. The hand buzzed in again, and this time Will slipped to the inside of the monkey's hairy leg just in time to get missed.

The fingers were coming straight at Toly, and he flattened himself one more time. It was time for him to get down from this rocky perch and get to somewhere where he could do some real damage. All he was doing on top of the head was making the monkey mad, and that was one thing they didn't need -- was a madder monkey. He wished he had his friend's, Ace's, power so that he could tell the monkey to, "Go home, little crack monkey". He wondered where Ace was and if he and Kat were all right.

He only had a brief moment to think about Ace, however, as the monkey flinched and trembled and Toly could feel it doing something but didn't know what he was doing. He fastened his hands even tighter into the monkey's hair just as the huge beast let go with a sneeze. His feet slipped out from under him, and all he had to hold on to was the monkey's hair.

The sneeze made Wolverine lose his grip and begin to fall further down the monkey. When he had managed to stop himself from falling, he could no longer see or hear Jack. Now, he could see Will, and Will was higher than he was. What was the boy playing at, hiding in the monkey's thigh? he wondered. "Will, are ya all right?" Wolverine called up. "Jack's all right; all he wants to know is where yer at." He began to work his way back up the huge monkey.

While his other hand went back to slapping at Autolycus, the monkey lifted the hand that held Jack and ran it along his itching nose. He could feel another sneeze coming, and it annoyed him further. His nose jerked several times even as he felt something crawling on him again and lowered his empty hand to swat at the flea that was beginning to climb up his leg. How had he come to suddenly have so many more fleas, he wondered, and what was holding him to the ground? As these thoughts passed through his mind, his nose renewed its itchings. He scratched it, picked his nose, and thunked the booger downward. He paid no attention to the high-pitched screams that erupted from the ground, but his nose was itching more now. He sniffled and jerked his nose several times, but the sneeze erupted nonetheless. This time, the sneeze exploded with such force that he fell forward. The hand holding Jack opened, and the Pirate Captain was sent abruptly sailing through the air.

Will barely caught sight of Jack's flying form from where he was clinging to the inside of the monkey's thigh. "JACK!!!" he screamed just as the monkey's hand hit him full-on. He lost his grip and fell.

Wolverine fell downward, his arms reaching out and trying to reach Will before he hit the ground. He had no idea of where the damn monkey had thrown Jack or even if his boy was still alive. He had to be, Wolverine swore to himself. If that thing's killed Jack, I'll kill him slowly, inch by inch! He caught a hold of Will's pants and held him as he finished climbing down. Who was on the head, he wondered, and would they make it down all right?

Once on the ground, he spied Phoebe and Elizabeth. "Phoebe, how long'll that spell last?" He did not want the huge monkey getting free.

Phoebe shrugged. "I hate to tell you this, but your guess is as good as mine. I've never used it before. And actually, it's for a Demon, not a monkey." She shrugged again and grinned a grin that she didn't feel. "I improvised."

Elizabeth rushed to Will's side. "Are you all right?" she questioned, looking him over as she held the coconut shell next to her chest.

Will nodded. "We've got to move after Jack. We've gotta find him before it's too late!"

"As much as I want to run after him," Elizabeth told the others, "he's not the only one in trouble." She pointed toward the water. "Didymus got snatched."

"What snatched him," Wolverine asked, "an' where'd ya last see him?"

"All I saw was a green tentacle. It caught his foot and pulled him into the water. It almost got him, too," she said, indicating the tiny merkitten who dared not make a sound and had instead burrowed as deep into the shell as he could, "but he managed to throw him at the last second."

Wolverine raced to the water and dove in. He had had more baths this day than he'd had in a year. Once under the water, he began to search for Didymus. Dead ahead, in front of him, Wolverine saw the green monster that had snatched Didymus. The small dog was limp, and Wolverine was afraid he'd been under the water too long. He swam forward and, before the green monster knew he was there, he had sliced off the tentacle that held Didy. Grabbing the dog, he swam him back to the surface and then laid his inert form at Elizabeth's feet. "I'm afraid he's been under too long." He looked at Elizabeth to see if she was willing mouth to mouth on the small animal in an effort to save him.

Elizabeth was already kneeling beside Didymus and pulling her hair behind her back so that it would not be in her way. Will had to fight with himself to remain still as he watched the proceedings. Every inch of him was wailing that they were wasting time that should be being used in finding and saving Jack. Elizabeth had pried open Didymus' mouth and had her hands at the ready above his chest. Just as she was lowering her mouth onto the small dogman's, Will caught sight of movement behind Wolverine. With a yell, he raced forward, unsheathing his sword as he ran. He cut smoothly through the tentacle, and the sea monster snatched the remaining part of his tentacle into the water. Will kicked the severed part after it and turned to look at the others. "I suggest we move this further inland before that thing tries again."

Elizabeth did not seem to hear him, however, as she was concentrating on working on Didymus. Will started to speak again but was broke off by a cry from Phoebe as she toppled to the sand.

Wolverine knelt beside Phoebe. He reached out a hand and touched her reassuringly, letting her know that she was not alone. "What do ya see, Phoebe, girl? Is it Jack?"

* * *

**Somewhere**

Meanwhile, the person that they were all concerned about had picked himself shakily up off of the ground and was having a hard time getting the disgusting monkey snot off of himself. It seemed to be everywhere, even in his ears. It's a good thing that Will can't see me now, Jack thought, for he'd never want to touch me. I am most disgusting! Each step he took made a squishy sound. He thought he had best find some water and clean himself up, but everywhere he looked, he saw bushes. Picking a direction, he set off.

The night was eerily quiet except for the squishing sound he was making. Then he thought he heard something behind himself. He stopped and looked back but didn't see anything. He took another step. Again, he heard an echoing step. He whirled around, his hand going to the hilt of his sword, ready to do battle with whatever was following him. It was then that he heard a cheery voice. "Welcome, Captain. We've been missing you. Come in . . . " He whirled around before the voice could continue, but there was no one there. He walked a little further. Suddenly, he found himself surrounded by dead bodies. They were everywhere! The ground was no longer the same. Jack thought he was aboard a ghost ship. He looked at the dead faces that surrounded him and recognized every one of them: men he had lost in battle, even some who he had killed in the heat of the moment. One minute their eyes were closed, and the next minute they were all open and laughing. Into their midst came Anamaria. He knew he had killed her, but now her pieces had somehow knitted back together again. She danced in front of him and stroked his beard with her hand as she passed. He could feel it. It was real, or at least, he thought it was. "Welcome to the party, Captain, and you're the host of honor for you see, you've killed each and every one of us! And now it's your turn." They began to diverge upon him, and Jack turned round and round in a circle with his sword held, pointed outward, ready to strike any who dared to touch him again. His eyes took on the look of a mad man. How do you kill the dead?! he wondered. Would he ever live to see his Will again? Then they were upon him.

* * *

**The House**

Cordelia trailed behind Trent as Trent carried the bag as though it barely weighed half of what it did into the room. He set it beside the mirror and looked at her. "Do you need me to throw it in there?"

"Not yet," Cordelia mused slowly as her hazel eyes were drawn to Joxer, who was sitting, crying, and rocking in the middle of the floor.

Trent's gaze followed the woman's. "What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know." Cordelia knelt beside Joxer and touched his shoulder gently. "Joxer, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "What happened?"

"My Phoebe went through, and she didn't want me! She left me here! Don't anybody want me!" He renewed his crying.

Cordelia put an arm around Joxer and hugged him reassuringly even as her mind searched quickly for something to help the poor lad. "You know, Angel left me too, but then I realized that he wanted me to help with Connor. Maybe Phoebe felt that she could handle the monkey and wanted to leave you here to help with something else?"

"Like what?" Joxer asked, looking up into Cordelia's face. "What can I do? Nobody will give me a chance! Even Toly got to go through, and he's sure not a fighter! He's a jewel thief!" Joxer said very disdainfully.

"We need some one to watch over the mirror." She held up a finger to silence Joxer's protest. "I know it doesn't sound like much, but think about it. These animals can't call for help when help's needed." She winked at Donkey to let him know to stay silent. "They can't figure out who needs what, and they certainly can't call to Crystal when those animals can start coming through again."

The small group looked up as new footsteps sounded. Cordelia tried to recall the big African's name but was unable to even as he questioned Phillip. "Phillip, I've been told to report to you. Do you have need of me?"

"You can help here shortly," Cordelia told him, answering for Phillip. She had a strange feeling of unseen eyes upon her but brushed it off and looked at Trent. "That frees you to continue looking for your sister. Thanks again."

Trent nodded and hurried from the room. He didn't want any part of that mirror and never would have gone through it in the first place if not for Trina.

Cordelia looked at Joxer. "Do you think you can do that, Joxer? Get help as help is needed from the others and keep an eye on everything? It's a very important job."

"Yes, I think I can. I didn't know Phillip needed watching over."

Phillip had to bite his tongue to keep his mouth closed. Since when did he need watching? But he'd never contradict a lady! "I hadn't thought of that, Joxer," Phillip told him. "You can monitor. That's a very important job! You can tell me who to check on, and we can check on them!"

"It's not as good as fighting," Joxer told Cordelia, "but it's important and it needs to be done, so I can do it and I will do it! I can do a good job of it, too!" He brushed his tears off of his face and got to his feet. "Phillip, show us James Hook. Please?" he asked. "I believe Cordelia has something for him."

Bishop walked over to stand beside Cordelia. "Looks like they need our help in there. I'll take this. What's in it?" he asked as he picked up the huge bag.

Donkey had moved closer to Cordelia after Joxer had risen and walked to the mirror. "I don't like the way ya did it," he told her in a whisper, "but at least it shut his whining up."

Cordelia winked at him. "That was my intentions, and I know you can help too." She gently scratched his head. "Keep Joxer out of trouble and help to keep the peace in the room. You'll also be better at getting help than Joxer will be. You can get to them a lot faster." She stroked him again, then got to her feet and walked over to stand beside Bishop. All that she had said to Donkey had been in a low whisper that the men couldn't hear, but now she rose her voice to her normal speaking level.

"That," Cordelia told Bishop, indicating the bag, "is salt." She shrugged. "I don't know what good it will do, but Hagrid said that Xavier said Hook needed it. Take it with you when you go through, but head for those ugly Pirates that Frederic's trying to keep away from the others. I'll see what I can do with the cake." She eyed the living, man-eating cake again and shook her head. "I don't think I could even dream something this bizarre," she mumbled.

"We both need weapons," he told Cordelia. "Never go empty-handed into a battle." He looked at the bed and spied a battle axe. He picked it up and hefted it expertly. "Has a good balance," he told her. Then he picked up the biggest broadsword on the bed. "I'll choose these, but you need something that will cut and that you can handle." He looked at the other weapons. "I believe, milady, this one will do you quite nicely." He picked up a rapier and handled her the hilt. "Try swinging it. See if you can handle it."

Cordelia was determined not to reveal how nervous she was or even that she was nervous. She accepted the hilt and swung the sword as Angel had taught her, ending with the point of blade aimed directly at Bishop. She winked at him. "En guarde, milord."

"I believe you're handling that quite nicely, milady. Come; let's go rescue James and his people. You should be able to cut that cake into a million pieces with that sword." He hooked the axe into his belt and hefted the sack of salt. Bishop walked into Phillip and found himself standing beside Frederic. Frederic was flaying wildly at the Zombies, but they were still coming on strong and showed no signs of letting up. "I think I have something you want here," Bishop told Frederic.

Frederic could not turn as he could not take his eyes off of the Zombies. "Thanks for coming," he told the black man he could see out of the corner of his eye. "I can use all the help I can get! I'm growing quite tired, and they show no signs of letting up. What have you brought in the bag?"

"Salt," Bishop told him and was rewarded with a gleam in Frederic's eye as he turned swiftly around and ripped the sack open with a single swipe of his sword.

"Just what we needed, my friend," Frederic told him. "Pour it on the enemy!" As the salt began to hit the Zombies, they started screaming at the top of their lungs and began to fall. "Don't waste any," Frederic warned Bishop. "They may regroup and return."

Bishop nodded and continued to pour the salt. He was surprised that it actually seemed to be stopping the Zombies.

* * *

**Somewhere**

They continued on for some time, neither daring to speak lest the Dementors hear their voices and find a way to elude Joseph's patronus long enough to circle back. Magnus was smiling now, however, and had been ever since seeing his little brother's patronus come to life. He had not gotten a clear shot of it and was not entirely sure what animal it was, but he had witnessed the size and strength of it and was both proud of his little brother's skill and glad to know that he had so much happiness to draw upon in his new life. One day, he would ask him to tell him what he had missed out on in his life, and on one day, he would also thank the lady, Rogue, for taking such good care of his baby brother. He had a feeling that she had a good bit to do with Joseph's happiness, if not all of it.

After all, he knew what Charles meant to him. If not for him, Erik never would have survived the years after Joseph's loss, but when he had nothing, Charles had came to him. He had given him hope and a reason to continue. He had taken care of him and helped him in more ways than Magnus had ever deserved. It was his love that had healed him and his love that had made him joyful when everything else in his world was bleak to black. Charles meant everything to him.

Magnus' thoughts broke off as rustlings up ahead met his ears. He straightened and fell somber. He placed a hand on Joseph's shoulder to stop him. "Let me go ahead," he directed, plucking his wand from his little brother's fingers. "I'll take care of whatever it is."

Joseph remembered his brother well now and knew that there was no use in arguing with him. "All right," he told him, "but if you need me, you'd better call me." He let Erik go on ahead but trailed behind him, keeping his brother in sight at all times.

Magnus followed the sounds of heavy breathing to some tall shrubbery. He took hold of the weeds and was just beginning to move them aside when a giddy, female voice squealed in delight. "Oh, Charles!" Those two simple words made Erik's blood run colder than it had been even when the Dementors had been fast upon their trail. He hurriedly pushed the weeds aside, and what he saw in the clearing beyond made his heart sink past his boots and brought his whole world to a screaming halt.

Tears welled in Erik's eyes, and his hands shook. This could not be real! Charles could not be holding a woman, kissing her with all the passion he kissed him, stroking her body in places upon the bloody wench that he'd never touch if he loved him! Erik's blue eyes blazed, and magnesium crackled from his clenched fists.

"Erik?" he barely heard his little brother calling from behind him. "Erik, what is it?"

"Nothing for you to mind, Joseph," Magnus barely managed to get out pass his clenched teeth. "I'll handle it."

Joseph's hand on his shoulder came at a bad time for Magnus whirled to meet him and instinctively struck out. Joseph ducked, avoiding his brother's blow, and looked at him in surprise. "What has gotten hold of you so?" His blue eyes narrowed as he peered past Magnus. "That is your man, isn't it? Charles Xavier? I thought he loved you?"

"As did I," Magnus snarled out, "but this day, he shall regret his lies!" Joseph grabbed Erik's shoulders to stop him from running out, and Erik shook underneath his brother's grip. Everything in him was screaming to attack, and if his little brother got in the way now, he might well kill him. "Release me!" he spat.

"I will in a moment," Joseph told him, looking into his eyes, "but first I want you to consider something, Erik. Please just give me a moment, and if my words do not make sense, then you may go out there and thrash him and her to no end. But did you not truly believe that Charles loved you? Had you two not been together for a very long time, and did he not seem to think the world of you? Do you honestly think you could have been so greatly deceived, or could this all be a trick, another test?"

Joseph watched the emotions flickering in his older brother's eyes and nodded. "They may well have you set up here. You may kill Charles in your anger, and he may be innocent. I do not know if that is the real Charles or not, but killing him, even if he is not, could affect the real Charles. It may even kill him, and at the very least, your distrust might endanger your relationship with him."

"What do you expect me to do?!" Magnus demanded. "Simply stand here and let him fuck her?!"

Joseph blushed at his brother's blatant words. "No," he told him with a shake of his head, "but answer me this. If you had not seen this, would you trust Charles?"

"Yes."

"Do you honestly believe he would do this to you?"

"No."

"Then walk away with me now, brother. Turn your back to this most disgusting scene and cling to your belief and your trust in Charles. Our eyes can often times be deceiving, especially underneath the Council's control. Consider this. I forgot all about you, the others, the world we came from, and even our lives before. You thought me dead. I know you must have for otherwise, you would have sought me out. Sean and Emma each believed the other to be dead. They thought they had witnessed their murders, yet each lived."

Erik was slowly beginning to nod, but still his wizened face was haunted with great sadness and despair. Joseph could see the fury still ticking in his blue eyes. "You're . . . You're right. This . . . It must be a trick," he said with a sad, disgusted shake of his head. "Charles would never . . . ever do anything like this." He hoped. He prayed.

"Then come, brother dearest," Joseph told his older brother, taking his hand in his, "and let us walk away from this trap of theirs. Let us prove to them how great your love and trust in Charles is and turn our backs upon this deceitful illusion and never look back." He led Magnus away, but it took everything in Erik not to chase back after the image of Charles. The further they walked, the dimmer the illusion became, but their words still burned in Erik's ears and the sight still ravaged his heart and raped his soul.

* * *

**The Court Room**

Albus squeezed Charles' shoulder reassuringly. He did not have to look at his old friend to know that there were tears in his eyes. "See there!" he declared for Xavier to the Council. "Magnus believes in Charles! Their love can not be tainted by the likes of you!" His answer came in sneers and boos, but he did not care. The Pirates and Salem's men would prove themselves yet, he was certain, and make the others eat their words.

"Love is a beautiful thing," a female spoke up from Charles' other side, "and his shines radiantly for you, dear friend." Albus looked at Cinderella as she patted Charles' shoulder with a gloved hand.

A whisper brought Dumbledore's gaze down beside him, and he smiled secretively at Aslan's hushed words. "They will win the day yet." The proud lion's tail swished in the air, but Albus could see the sadness in his eyes and knew he knew what was yet to come for his people who were involved. He stroked the top of his head and whispered in turn to him. "I am only sorry that it has come with such a high cost."

* * *

**Somewhere**

As Bishop joined Frederic in squaring off against the Zombies, Cordelia turned to face the cake. She had never seen or dreamed of such a thing in all her life for, even now, the gigantic birthday cake's mouth was crunching down upon James' and Connor's arms. She knew that both must be in dire pain, and her heart ached for them, though especially for Connor. She had to help Smee free them. Why was the old man just biting the cake, she wondered, and spitting it out? Why was he not fighting it? Holding her sword high, Cordelia moved in for a blow.

James screamed at the top of his lungs. He was still spitting blood from where he had bit the cake and it had broken his front tooth out. "DON'T, CORDELIA! YOU'LL BE CAUGHT FAST TOO! SWORDS ARE NO GOOD AGAINST IT!"

Connor was relieved that his father had yelled instead of him. He was still spitting cake even though he had only bit once. He felt like his mouth was full of muck and he was drowning under its weight.

Cordelia stopped as James screamed and looked at him in surprise. So that's why Smee's not fighting it, she thought, but then what do I do? "What can I do to help then?" she questioned, eyeing the cake. She had also noted the blood running from James' mouth and had a strong feeling that she really didn't want to bite the thing.

"I don't know how to stop it," James told her. "Smee is the only one who's having any effect on it. I thought it was a test for me, but I think it's for Smee instead."

Cordelia bent and laid her sword upon the ground, but even as she did so, her eyes remained on the cake. Smee had not spoken a single word to her, but she knew, as she watched, that that was because he was biting as swiftly as he could. Each bite took more out of the cake, but its cake simply slid down to fill the hole. She watched intently, feeling each second tick away, for several minutes before speaking again at last. "I have an idea. Smee," she touched his wide shoulder to get his attention, "can you move down and bite next to Connor? As close to where his arm is caught as possible?"

Smee didn't know what the woman was thinking, but at this point, he was willing to try anything. He rubbed his mouth as he took the few paces down to where Connor was caught, making a wide berth around James even then.

Cordelia, too, noted the berth and wondered about it but did not make mention of it aloud. If this worked with Connor, Smee was going to have to get close to James, regardless of whatever they were fighting about. For a brief moment, her mind flashed back to the night she had quarrelled with Angel, and she shook her head. Thank Gods she'd gotten rid of that note. How foolish could she have been to completely doubt Angel so quickly for so little? He was a man and, as such, did not always use the best part of his brain, but he loved her and had never meant any harm. If he'd known . . .

Cordelia's thoughts broke off as Smee suddenly took a bite out of the cake. She moved quickly but was unable to reach them before the cake had filled in the hole in it. "Connor," she instructed, "get ready to pull. On the count of three, guys . . . One . . . " She placed her hands gently on the part of Connor's arm that was outside the cake. "Two . . . " She tightened her grip. "Three!" As Smee bit into the cake, she pulled Connor with all the strength she had.

* * *

**The North Pole**

"It's okay," Crystal spoke to the gathered animals as she wrapped Prue's cloak more tightly around her, all too aware that she had not thought to change into some actual clothes before coming. "He is gone now, and you can come. We must simply wait." She paused, listening to the chitterings and chatterings of chimpmunks and turned to face them. The two tiny animals were knocking each other in their heads in their desperate attempts to point out something to her. "What?" she questioned them, concern creasing her forehead. "What is it?"

Crys turned to face where they were pointing but still could not see. Slowly, the animals parted from the circle they'd made around where the portal had been mere seconds before, and Crystal's breath caught in her throat. A thousand words sprang to her mind, many of which she had learned from the Pirates who meant so much to her, but she could speak none of them aloud. Her voice froze in her throat, and her ice blue eyes went wide.

Towering trees were moving their way, their roots slamming into the snowy ground with all the force of Giant's steps, and they were not alone. Large birds circled in the sky around them, seeking prey, and wolves, bears, even a couple of deer, and many other animals and . . . creatures. Crystal's eyes shot even wilder. She knew well of Trolls, but she had thought the North Pole had been made rid of them many years ago. He must have let them back in. Trolls, Ogres, and Bigfoots, she could deal with. She could handle the trees and the angry Sprites who lived within them. She would have to handle the animals.

But why was this happening? Why were they turning against them now? "They are angry," a wolf spoke.

"Furious," a bird cried, "that he is gone."

"But why?" Crystal questioned, though she really did not expect her animal friends to have the answer. "I would think the animals and trees would be glad that he is gone and they are free!"

"Things are not always as we think they should be," an owl hooted from where he was perched on a wild reindeer's antlers.

Crystal sighed. "I have found they seldom are," she agreed. "We may have to fight while we wait for another chance to pass through the portal. No one expected this. I wish you had told us."

"We knew you would insist on fighting," a lion spoke from where he stood near Cindy. Cindy and Crystal both looked at him in surprise. He was not another mountain lion but instead had a full mane. Crys wondered how he had come to be there but knew that now was not the time for such questions.

Signaling with her hands for the animals to stay, Crystal walked out in front of them. She longed for a metal sword but knew that one of ice would have to suffice, and as she made one, she called out in a strong voice to those gathered. "Birds, keep a look-out for more coming and surprise attacks; warn us of what you see. Let's keep this circle running; the portal will probably return where it was before. Predators, on the outside. Behind them, I want those grass eaters who can defend themselves and have weapons to do so, like antlers, claws, or a skunk's tail -- "

"Hey!" one of those very skunks interjected.

Crys shrugged and glanced at the offended animal. "It's the truth," she reminded him. "I want those to make a second circle around the weaker animals."

"What can we di?"

Crystal turned at the sound of the quiet Irish brogue. Her surprise grew yet again as she took note of the tiny people both on the ground and riding on other animals. She had no idea that they, too, had been looking to go to the island, and she hoped that the Pirates would be as understanding toward them as they had been toward the animals. "Gather behind the predators and do what you can."

Crystal turned her back to her friends even as she took note of Cindy and Elvira flanking her and Blue circling over her head. She wished that they would go to the center of the circle so that they might be the first ones to reach protection, but she knew they would never leave her and that trying to get them to listen to reason would only hurt their feelings. She reached out instead to touch each in turn and stroke them all even as she yelled out. "PHILLIP, AS SOON AS WE CAN PASS, WE NEED TO! WE ARE NOT ALONE AND NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" She hoped the mirror could hear her but had no way to know if he did or not.

"I love you, guys," she called to her beloved trio, her eyes never leaving their new enemies. Each answered her in turn, and though she was touched, she refused to let the tears in her heart reach her eyes.

Crys heard Cindy growl and glanced at her only to find the lioness eyeballing the lion who had spoken earlier. He now stood beside her, and Crystal realized that several of the other predators were also moving up. "What?" she heard the lion question Cindy. "You expected us to let you fight them alone? Think again, madam. I am far too much of a gentleman to allow a lady to -- "

Crystal could not help but to grin at Cindy's answering roar and the lion's stiff reply of, "Why, I never!"

"Settle down, you two," she directed. Then throwing out her arms, Crystal began to pelt the oncomers with the biggest snowballs and hail pieces she could manage.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Connor fell backwards onto his butt. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Cordelia. Now if we can get Dad free, maybe we can do something about getting rid of this awful thing? I don't think I'll ever eat another piece of cake in my entire life!" he declared. He flexed his arm, trying to work the feeling back into it. It had grown quite numb while being held by the cake.

Smee breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at his son, who was now free. Cordelia looked down at Connor, as well. "As soon as you get the numbness worked out, we'll pull the same maneuver on James." She only hoped it would work.

James hoped it would work and that he could get free of the cake. It had worked for Connor, yet Smee had been very close to James but would not get anywhere near James! "Come on, Smee. Come closer and bite this thing off of me. You know I'd do the same for you," James pleaded.

"It's not like I haven't been trying!" Smee exclaimed.

Cordelia folded her arms before her chest and looked sternly upon the fussing lovers. "You're both right, guys." They looked at her in surprise, and she knew that they were wondering how they could possibly both be right. "James, Smee has been trying very hard to free you both, but Smee, if we're going to get James out of this cake, you're going to have to get at least as close to him as you were to Connor. Whatever you're fussing about, it can't be worth his life!"

Smee murmured something underneath his breath, and Cordelia quirked an eyebrow at him. "What was that?"

"Nothing . . . " Smee felt like calling the woman a bad name or, at least, taking an uglier tone with her, but he knew that, without her help, he never would have gotten Connor free. However, if she thought he would repeat the fact that it _was_ worth _his_ life, but not James', she had best think again!

"Connor," Cordelia turned her attention back to Angel's son, "how's your arm?"

"It's stinging like all heck, but at least it's beginning to get some feeling back into it. If I could, I'd bite that cake next to Dad's arm and free it, but Dad Smee is the only one who can do it and what they're fighting about . . . Well, it'd best not be talked about."

"Whatever it is," Cordelia humphed, eyeballing the two older men while walking over to Connor, "if they want to survive these trials, I suggest they put it behind them for now." Connor was rubbing his arm, and she took hold of his hand and began to massage it.

"Thanks, Cordelia. I really appreciate the help." Connor's eyes went to where Frederic was standing guard to make sure that the Zombies weren't coming back. "I wonder who they were for? Whose trial that was? Must've been Dad James 'cause they were dead crew members," he whispered to Cordelia. "I'm sure Frederic recognized them. Who's the guy you brought with you? He's one of the biggest men I've ever seen!"

Cordelia grinned at Connor. "Well, in that case, I'm certainly glad I didn't fall into that one of your father's crew. As for him," she looked toward the huge African, "I believe his name's Bishop." She tried calling the name aloud.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Screams surrounded him on all sides, and it took Hansel a moment to realize that they were all four screaming. His hands flailed, trying in desperation, to grab hold to something, but he could not find anything to grab. Then, suddenly, something reached out from the wall of the mountain and grabbed him. It clicked around his wrist and held tightly to him even as three other somethings left the side of the mountain and snapped around his ankles and other wrist. "Oh shit," he mumbled. "This can't be good."

Dawson had been trying to catch Faith when they had fallen through. Instead, he was snatched in mid air by something that encircled his wrists and his ankles. He struggled to get free, but the more he struggled, the tighter their hold on him was. "LET GO OF ME!" he yelled. "I HAVE TO GET TO FAITH!"

Chong, too, tried desperately to reach Faith and managed to get about half way down, his fingers grazing Faith's skin just before he, too, was snatched. He fought against what was holding his wrists and his ankles only to discover that, the more he fought, the tighter they held him. The chains bit deeply into his wrists, but he continued to struggle to no avail. He could no longer see Faith.

The others had stopped screaming now and were only yelling angrily. Faith's scream seemed to be going further and echoing up around them. Hansel struggled against his binds but was unable to break free and, for the first time in a long time, had absolutely no pick. He cursed a blue streak before finally yelling out for Faith. "FAITH! CAN YOU HEAR US?! ARE YOU OKAY?! COME ON, LITTLE BITCHY, ANSWER US!" But no answer came . . .

"FAITH!" Dawson screamed, dread filling his heart. She did not answer him either.

* * *

**Somewhere**

Bishop looked up where Cordelia was calling him from. "Can I do anything for you, Miss Cordelia?" he called. "We're kinda watching right now, making sure that the Zombies aren't returning. The salt did the trick. We've still got some in case they decide to return."

Cordelia had heard the term Zombies in reference to the ugly Pirates several times now, but she was determined not to dwell on it. "Leave the salt with Frederic. He can watch for their return and call if help is needed. You come over here and help us get James free. With your strength, you should be able to pull him free rather quickly. Connor," she instructed as she headed back over toward James, "keep working on your arm, and Smee," she called to him where he was refusing to face them, "like it or not, it's time."

Bishop walked over and slid his arms around James. He had him in a firm grip, and he looked expectantly at Smee. "Well?" he asked him when the little man seemed very hesitant about the biting.

Smee headed over to the trio as reluctantly as though he was a pup with his tail tucked between his legs. Cordelia watched him with a stern expression but did not enlighten Bishop as to their predicament. Smee glanced at James but quickly turned his eyes to the cake. He took the largest bite he'd taken yet.

"PULL!" Cordelia shouted just as Smee bit down. She had planned on helping to pull James free, but Bishop's bulk had not left her any room. Still, with his strength, hers should not be needed, she told herself.

James came free and staggered backward into Bishop. He was glad some one had caught him. He was tired of landing on his butt. "Now how do we get rid of the damn thing?" he asked Cordelia. "Do you think we could feed it to the crocs?"

"Why should I have all the answers?!" Cordelia exclaimed. She had not even considered how they could get rid of the cake and had instead been too busy coming up with a plan to free Connor and James.

With its mouth free, the cake was again chomping at the bit, and Smee yelled as he saw it begin to bounce up and down. "EVERYBODY, MOVE!" Desperate to save the man he loved, he pushed James ahead of him even as Cordelia raced to help Connor.

"WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T HIT IT!" Cordy yelled to Bishop, knowing that that would be his first instinct. She snatched up her rapier as she raced toward Connor.

* * *

**Somewhere**

It was some time later that Jack opened his eyes. He did not know how long he had been out, but he did remember the last thing that was in his face and that that was Anamaria. He realized that something very heavy was laying on top of it. He pushed it and found that it was very firm but not easy to push. He managed to roll out from under it, and, getting to his feet, he looked down to see what it was. He screamed for, there at his feet, lay his beloved Will, dead. Jack screamed again even as he knelt beside Will. Will's body was cold to the touch. He knew not how long Will had been dead, but a smell came from his body. It hit Jack's nose and made him sick, and he turned his head away to retch. He had to bury Will, and then he vowed he'd find who killed him. He got back to his feet and then saw that there were other bodies strewn all around. Nothing lived in this place. He thought he must have died and gone to Hell. He remembered the Demons' laughing words, "Welcome to the party," and he knew now what party they were talking about. They had been the ones who had killed his family. Tears streamed down his face as he walked to each body and turned them over so that he could see their face. The last two he forced himself to turn over turned out to be Phoebe and Joxer. They were locked in a lovers' embrace, holding tightly to each other even in death. He returned to Will and gathered his poor, dead love in his arms. His tears fell down like rain as his heart broke in a million pieces. It was his family. Every one who meant anything to him, destroyed by his enemy. He would bury them first, and then he'd hunt down the ones who had done this. They would die a most horrible death, he vowed. He gave himself up to his loss and wept uncontrollably, still clinging to Will.

* * *

**Somewhere**

"If we could get it to go toward the crocs, maybe we could just push it off?" James asked hopefully. "And I don't expect it to have all the answers, Miss Cordelia, but so far, everything you've come up with has worked!"

Connor asked, "Do you think salt might have an effect on it?"

"I don't know," Frederic said, coming up with a handful of salt, "but it's worth a try!" He threw the salt straight at the cake. It sprinkled out over the cake's surface, and they waited to see, what effect, if any it would have. They did not have long to wait, however, as the cake almost immediately jumped toward them again.

"There's not enough room to go around it without getting caught, so we can't lead it to the crocodiles that way! Maybe if we can find something big enough to knock it off with?" Cordelia suggested as she ran from the cake between Connor and James.

Bishop shook his head. He still could scarce believe what he was seeing and, if some one had told him about it, he'd call them a bold-faced liar, but the truth was standing in his face!

The salt seemed to have had no effect at all upon the cake. That dashed Frederic's high hopes, and he looked around to find something that he could knock the cake with. It was Connor who finally spied the limb and Bishop who broke it off. They began to use it to push at the cake in an attempt to get it to go in the direction they wanted it to. The guys were just beginning to think that they were making progress when the cake suddenly moved more swiftly again. Its mouth closed around the limb, and it began to eat it even as they poked at it with it.

"LET GO OF IT!" Smee screamed. "IT'LL EAT YOU TOO!"

"WE'LL HAVE TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE!" Cordelia reasoned. "Something heavy enough to knock it off, not just push it off."

Bishop looked around, and a new thought occurred to him. Throw something at the cake, not push. Throw it and see if they could knock it off its feet. Maybe they could roll it over the cliff? There were some big boulders laying out by themselves where they had fallen from a rockslide in the past. Bishop walked over, heaved one, and yelled, "GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Startled eyes were turned his way as James grabbed Connor, Frederic grabbed Smee and then reached out for Cordelia. They barely managed to get out of the way before Bishop threw it. His aim was off just a little as it landed at the middle of the cake, causing it to squat. Bishop reached for another and rolled it at the cake as though it were a nine pins ball. He continued to pelt the cake with the rocks, each rock bouncing the cake a little further. He'd walk up, pick up the rock that he had just thrown, and throw it again. He continued to pelt the cake until it fell over the cliff backwards and fell amongst the crocodiles. Bishop gazed downward. The sight disgusted him. Some of the crocs were eating the cake, but the cake was also eating some of the crocs. He shook his head in disgust, and walked away without uttering a word. He knew that he'd remember that awful sight until his dying day and swore that he'd never eat cake again.

James didn't want to know so he did not go near the cliff edge, but Connor and Frederic headed for the edge and were about to look downward when they heard Cordelia fussing at them. "Both of you boys, come away from there this instant! If Bishop doesn't even like the looks of it, there's no way your fathers want you looking at it! Get back over here _now_!"

"That's right!" Smee agreed, shivering inwardly at the sounds of all the roaring, growling, and thrashing that was going on down below. "You two, get back over here this minute before something happens to you!"

James looked at his boys. "You don't need to see that. It'll give you nightmares." He moved around behind them, keeping the boys between him and Smee. He would not let them out of his sight. This land was filled with too many dangers, and they all seemed to be seeking them out. "We've got to find a way out of this miserable Hellhole," he told his family. "Stay close. We must get away from here!" The sounds of smacking and growling filled his head, and he trembled, thankful that it was not him that they were eating.

**To Be Continued, Never More**

Author's Note: Aye, that's right. We're not going to be continuing this book. We'd written these last five chapters about two months ago right before Jack up and ran off on me. After finally tracking him down and getting to the bottom of matters, I was shocked to find out the Book was the problem. I knew he'd been having nightmares from this and the 3rd book but had no idea that they were getting as bad as they got. This book is over; we'll write no more on it. We will, however, try to continue the series with a fifth book and answer all questions as best we can. This is Will signing off on this book as Jack has yet to touch another quill, let alone a keyboard.


End file.
